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

1 November 2018

sports betting minister Tracey Crouch has resigned over "hold-ups" to a crackdown on optimal stakes for fixed-odds wagering machines.

Chancellor Philip Hammond stated in Monday's Budget that the cut in stakes from ₤ 100 to ₤ 2 would come into force in October 2019.

Ms Crouch stated pressing back the date was "unjustifiable" and it could cost the lives of problem gamblers.

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

Prime Minister Theresa May said she was dissatisfied Ms Crouch had actually resigned but there had actually been "no delay in advancing this crucial step".

High stakes for fixed-odds wagering makers

' I lost ₤ 250,000 on wagering makers'

sports betting machine stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

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

But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch stated: "Unfortunately, execution of these modifications are now being delayed until October 2019 due to commitments made by others to those with registered 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 devices.

"In addition, two individuals will unfortunately take their lives every day due to gambling-related problems and, for that reason as much as any other, I think this hold-up is unjustifiable."

She added: "It is a fact of federal government that ministers must comply with collective responsibility and can not disagree with policy, not to mention when it is policy made against your wishes relating to your own portfolio."

'God bless'

Among those applauding her on social networks, 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 huge credit not simply for her campaign but for sticking up for her concepts".

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

Currently, people can wager up to ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic casino video games such as live roulette. Anti-gambling campaigners say the machines let gamers lose cash too quickly, leading to addiction and social, psychological and financial issues.

But bookmakers have alerted the cut in stakes might lead to countless outlets closing.

In her response to Ms Crouch, the PM stated the government had actually listened to those who wanted the changes to come into effect faster than April 2020 and "had actually agreed that the modifications need to remain in place within the year - by October 2019".

In his Budget on Monday, the chancellor stated the modification to fixed-odds stakes would come into force next October at the exact same time as modifications to task charged on gambling companies based abroad but running in the UK.

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

Who is Tracey Crouch?

The 43-year-old MP has represented Chatham and Aylesford, in Kent, given that 2010

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

She is known 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 actually worked for various Tory MPs, including Michael Howard and David Davis before meaning election

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

But in the Commons on Thursday, Labour's deputy leader Tom Watson accused the federal government of "capitulating to the gaming market".

He praised Ms Crouch's "courageous and principled decision" and stated Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "ought to be thoroughly ashamed" of prioritising "business interests over victims, earnings over public health and greed over great".

MPs from all sides of your house participated his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said it must be gone over as part of the Finance Bill later on this month.

Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill

He informed the BBC: "There are lots of individuals whose lives have been damaged by this dependency ... We require to do this really 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 ideal."

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