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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 resigned over "delays" to a crackdown on maximum 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 into force in October 2019.

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

She tweeted: "Politicians come and go but concepts stick with us permanently."

Prime Minister Theresa May said she was disappointed Ms Crouch had resigned but there had actually been "no hold-up in advancing this essential procedure".

High stakes for fixed-odds wagering machines

' I lost ₤ 250,000 on wagering makers'

sports betting device stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The federal government has actually rejected Labour declares that MPs had been led to believe the cut would enter into force at the start of the next tax year, in April 2019. They recommended the cut had been planned to be introduced in April 2020.

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

"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 think this hold-up is unjustifiable."

She added: "It is a truth of government that ministers should follow collective responsibility and can not disagree with policy, not to mention when it is policy made versus your dreams associating with your own portfolio."

'God bless'

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

Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson tweeted, external that she "should have big credit not simply for her project but for sticking up for her concepts".
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Fixed-odds sports betting terminals generate ₤ 1.8 bn in profits a year for the wagering industry, 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 makers let gamers lose money too rapidly, resulting in addiction and social, mental and monetary problems.

But bookmakers have alerted the cut in stakes could result in thousands of outlets closing.
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In her response to Ms Crouch, the PM said the government had actually listened to those who desired the modifications to come into effect quicker than April 2020 and "had agreed that the changes need to be in location within the year - by October 2019".

In his Budget on Monday, the chancellor stated the change to fixed-odds stakes would enter force next October at the very same time as modifications to task charged on sports betting firms based abroad however running in the UK.
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The government states co-ordinating the date of the 2 modifications would mean 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, since 2010
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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 certified FA coach

Grade 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, including Michael Howard and David Davis before representing election

She had her first kid in 2016 and is thought to have actually 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 industry".

He praised Ms "bold and principled decision" and said Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "ought to be completely ashamed" of prioritising "business interests over victims, profits over public health and greed over great".

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

Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill
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He told the BBC: "There are plenty of people whose lives have been damaged by this addiction ... We require to do this very rapidly, as quickly as we can and in the meantime, the gaming industry will make about ₤ 1bn as a result of this hold-up. That's not ideal."

Labour has told the BBC that they will put down a modification to the Finance Bill to try and generate the changes next April.
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