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


1 November 2018


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


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


Ms Crouch said pushing back the date was "unjustifiable" and it might cost the lives of issue gamblers.


She tweeted: "Politicians reoccur but concepts stick with us permanently."


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


High stakes for fixed-odds wagering machines


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




sports betting device stakes to be cut to ₤ 2


The government has rejected Labour claims that MPs had been led to think the cut would enter force at the start of the next tax year, in April 2019. They recommended the cut had actually been intended to be presented in April 2020.


But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch said: "Unfortunately, execution of these changes are now being postponed till October 2019 due to dedications 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 reduce stakes and its application, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these devices.


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


She added: "It is a reality of federal government that ministers must follow collective duty and can not disagree with policy, let alone when it is policy made versus your desires 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 courageous" adding: "May God bless her dedication to doing right."


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


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


Currently, individuals can wager approximately ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic gambling establishment video games such as roulette. Anti-gambling advocates state the makers let gamers lose money too quickly, leading to dependency and social, mental and financial problems.


But bookmakers have warned the cut in stakes might lead to thousands of outlets closing.


In her reaction to Ms Crouch, the PM said the federal government had actually listened to those who desired the modifications to come into effect earlier than April 2020 and "had concurred that the changes need to 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 into force next October at the very same time as modifications to duty charged on sports betting companies based abroad but operating in the UK.


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


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 searching and her love of football - she is a competent FA coach


Grammar school informed 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, consisting of Michael Howard and David Davis before meaning election


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


But in the Commons on Thursday, Labour's deputy leader Tom Watson implicated the government of "capitulating to the sports betting industry".


He praised Ms Crouch's "courageous and principled choice" and stated Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "ought to be completely ashamed" of prioritising "business interests over victims, revenues over public health and greed over good".


MPs from all sides of your home participated in his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith stated it needs to be gone over as part of the Finance Bill later on this month.


Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill


He told the BBC: "There are lots of individuals whose lives have actually been harmed by this addiction ... We require to do this extremely rapidly, as rapidly as we can and in the meantime, the gambling industry will make about ₤ 1bn as an outcome of this delay. That's wrong."


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