sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over 'delay' to wagering crackdown
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1 November 2018
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sports betting minister Tracey Crouch has resigned over "delays" to a crackdown on maximum stakes for fixed-odds sports betting devices.

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 might cost the lives of issue bettors.

She tweeted: "Politicians reoccur but concepts stay with us permanently."
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Prime Minister Theresa May stated she was dissatisfied Ms Crouch had resigned but there had actually been "no delay in bringing forward this essential procedure".

High stakes for fixed-odds wagering machines

' I lost ₤ 250,000 on sports betting machines'

sports betting maker stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The federal government has rejected Labour declares 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 recommended the cut had been intended to be presented in April 2020.

But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch said: "Unfortunately, implementation of these changes are now being postponed up until 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 announcement to minimize stakes and its execution, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these machines.

"In addition, 2 individuals will tragically take their lives every day due to gambling-related issues and, for that reason as much as any other, I think this delay is unjustifiable."

She included: "It is a fact of government that ministers must follow cumulative responsibility and can not disagree with policy, not to mention when it is policy made versus your desires associating with 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 brave" adding: "May God bless her commitment to doing right."

Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson tweeted, external that she "deserves big credit not just for her project however for sticking up for her principles".

Fixed-odds sports betting terminals generate ₤ 1.8 bn in income a year for the sports betting industry, according to the Gambling Commission, external, and taxes of ₤ 400m for the federal government.

Currently, individuals can wager as much as ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic casino games such as roulette. Anti-gambling campaigners say the devices let gamers lose cash too quickly, leading to dependency and social, psychological and monetary issues.

But bookies have cautioned the cut in stakes could result in thousands of outlets closing.

In her reaction to Ms Crouch, the PM stated the government had listened to those who wanted the modifications to come into impact sooner than April 2020 and "had actually concurred that the changes should remain in location within the year - by October 2019".

In his Budget on Monday, the chancellor stated the modification to fixed-odds stakes would enter force next October at the same time as modifications to responsibility charged on gaming firms based abroad however operating in the UK.

The federal government states co-ordinating the date of the 2 modifications would imply the government would not be hit by a fall in tax earnings.

Who is Tracey Crouch?

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

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

She is understood for her opposition to fox searching and her love of football - she is a competent 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, consisting of Michael Howard and David Davis before standing for election
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She had her very first child in 2016 and is believed 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 sports betting industry".

He applauded Ms Crouch's "brave and principled choice" and stated Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "ought to be thoroughly ashamed" of prioritising "business interests over victims, revenues over public health and greed over great".

MPs from all sides of your home participated his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said it ought to be talked about as part of the Finance Bill later on this month.

Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill
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He the BBC: "There are a lot of individuals whose lives have been harmed by this addiction ... We require to do this very quickly, as quickly as we can and in the meantime, the gaming industry will make about ₤ 1bn as a result of this delay. That's wrong."

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