Sports Minister Tracey Crouch Resigns over ‘Hold-up’ To Betting Crackdown

sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over ‘hold-up’ to sports betting crackdown

1 November 2018

sports betting minister Tracey Crouch has resigned over “delays” to a crackdown on optimal stakes for fixed-odds sports betting devices.

Chancellor Philip Hammond said in Monday’s Budget that the cut in stakes from ₤ 100 to ₤ 2 would enter into force in October 2019.

Ms Crouch stated back the date was “unjustifiable” and it might cost the lives of problem gamblers.

She tweeted: “Politicians come and go however concepts stick with us forever.”

Prime Minister Theresa May stated she was dissatisfied Ms Crouch had actually resigned but there had been “no hold-up in advancing this essential procedure”.

High stakes for fixed-odds wagering devices

‘ I lost ₤ 250,000 on wagering machines’

sports betting device stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The federal government has denied Labour claims that MPs had actually been led to think the cut would come into force at the start of the next tax year, in April 2019. They suggested the cut had been meant to be introduced in April 2020.

But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch said: “Unfortunately, implementation of these modifications are now being delayed till October 2019 due to commitments made by others to those with signed up interests.

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End of twitter post by Tracey Crouch

“From the time of the statement to decrease stakes and its implementation, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these machines.

“In addition, 2 people will unfortunately take their lives every day due to gambling-related issues and, because of that as much as any other, I believe this hold-up is unjustifiable.”

She included: “It is a reality of government that ministers need to stick to cumulative duty and can not disagree with policy, not to mention when it is policy made against your dreams connecting to your own portfolio.”

‘God bless’

Among those praising her on social media, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby tweeted, external that she was “principled and bold” including: “May God bless her dedication to doing right.”

Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson tweeted, external that she “should have substantial credit not simply for her project however for sticking up for her principles”.

Fixed-odds wagering terminals create ₤ 1.8 bn in income a year for the wagering market, according to the Gambling Commission, external, and taxes of ₤ 400m for the government.

Currently, individuals can bet approximately ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic gambling establishment games such as live roulette. Anti-gambling advocates state the makers let players lose cash too quickly, leading to dependency and social, mental and monetary problems.

But bookies have alerted the cut in stakes could lead to thousands of outlets closing.

In her response to Ms Crouch, the PM stated the government had listened to those who wanted the modifications to come into result earlier than April 2020 and “had agreed that the modifications need to remain in location within the year – by October 2019”.

In his Budget on Monday, the chancellor said the change to fixed-odds stakes would enter into force next October at the same time as changes to task charged on gaming companies based abroad however operating in the UK.

The government says co-ordinating the date of the two changes would indicate the government would not be struck by a fall in tax revenue.

Who is Tracey Crouch?

The 43-year-old MP has actually represented Chatham and Aylesford, in Kent, because 2010

She was promoted to the front bench as sports betting minister in 2015

She is understood for her opposition to fox hunting and her love of football – she is a qualified FA coach

Grade school educated at Folkestone School for Girls, she went on to get a degree in law and politics from Hull University

She had worked for numerous Tory MPs, consisting of Michael Howard and David Davis before meaning election

She had her very first child in 2016 and is believed to have been the first Tory minister to take maternity leave

But in the Commons on Thursday, Labour’s deputy leader Tom Watson accused the government of “capitulating to the gaming market”.

He praised Ms Crouch’s “brave and principled choice” and said Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright “must be thoroughly embarrassed” of prioritising “business interests over victims, revenues over public health and greed over excellent”.

MPs from all sides of the House took part his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said it must be discussed as part of the Finance Bill later this month.

Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill

He informed the BBC: “There are lots of people whose lives have been harmed by this dependency … We need to do this extremely quickly, as quickly as we can and in the meantime, the gaming market will make about ₤ 1bn as an outcome of this hold-up. That’s not best.”

Labour has informed the BBC that they will put down a change to the Finance Bill to attempt and generate the changes next April.