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sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over 'delay' to sports betting crackdown

1 November 2018

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

Chancellor Philip Hammond said in Monday's Budget that the cut in stakes from ₤ 100 to ₤ 2 would enter force in October 2019.
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Ms Crouch said pressing back the date was "unjustifiable" and it could cost the lives of problem bettors.

She tweeted: "Politicians reoccur however principles stick with us forever."
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Prime Minister Theresa May stated she was dissatisfied Ms Crouch had actually resigned however there had been "no delay in advancing this crucial measure".

High stakes for fixed-odds wagering machines

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

sports betting maker stakes to be cut to ₤ 2
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The federal government has actually rejected Labour claims that MPs had 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 actually been meant to be introduced in April 2020.

But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch stated: "Unfortunately, execution of these modifications are now being postponed 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 decrease stakes and its execution, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these machines.

"In addition, 2 individuals will unfortunately take their lives every day due to gambling-related issues and, for that factor as much as any other, I believe this hold-up is unjustifiable."

She added: "It is a truth of government that ministers should follow collective obligation and can not disagree with policy, let alone when it is policy made against your desires associating with your own portfolio."
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'God bless'

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

Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson tweeted, external that she "should have huge credit not just for her campaign but for sticking up for her principles".

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

Currently, people can bet up to ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic casino video games such as roulette. Anti-gambling campaigners state the makers let gamers lose cash too quickly, causing addiction and social, mental and financial issues.

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

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

In his Budget on Monday, the chancellor said the modification to fixed-odds stakes would come into force next October at the very same time as modifications to duty charged on sports betting firms based abroad however running in the UK.

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

Who is Tracey Crouch?

The 43-year-old MP has actually represented Chatham and Aylesford, in Kent, since 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 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 different Tory MPs, including Michael Howard and David Davis before representing 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 government of "capitulating to the sports betting industry".

He applauded Ms Crouch's "brave and principled decision" and stated Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "must be completely ashamed" of prioritising "corporate interests over victims, revenues over public health and greed over excellent".

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

Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill
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He informed the BBC: "There are lots of people whose lives have been harmed by this dependency ... We need to do this extremely rapidly, as rapidly as we can and in the meantime, the sports betting market will make about ₤ 1bn as an outcome of this delay. That's not ideal."

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