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sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over 'hold-up' to sports betting 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 optimal stakes for fixed-odds wagering devices.
Chancellor Philip Hammond stated in Monday's Budget that the cut in stakes from ₤ 100 to ₤ 2 would enter into force in October 2019.
Ms Crouch said pressing back the date was "unjustifiable" and it could cost the lives of issue bettors.
She tweeted: "Politicians come and go but principles stick with us forever."
Prime Minister Theresa May stated she was disappointed Ms Crouch had resigned however there had been "no delay in bringing forward this crucial measure".
High stakes for fixed-odds sports betting makers
' I lost ₤ 250,000 on wagering makers'
sports betting maker stakes to be cut to ₤ 2
The government has claims that MPs had actually been led to believe the cut would come into force at the start of the next tax year, in April 2019. They recommended the cut had been intended to be introduced in April 2020.
But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch said: "Unfortunately, execution of these modifications 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 statement to reduce stakes and its execution, 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 issues and, for that factor as much as any other, I think this delay is unjustifiable."
She included: "It is a reality of federal government that ministers should adhere to collective duty and can not disagree with policy, let alone when it is policy made against 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 dedication to doing right."
Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson tweeted, external that she "deserves huge credit not just for her project however for sticking up for her concepts".
Fixed-odds wagering terminals create ₤ 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, individuals can wager up to ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic casino games such as roulette. Anti-gambling campaigners state the machines let gamers lose money too rapidly, leading to dependency and social, mental and financial issues.
But bookies have warned the cut in stakes might result in thousands of outlets closing.
In her action to Ms Crouch, the PM said the government had actually listened to those who wanted the modifications to come into effect earlier than April 2020 and "had concurred that the changes ought to be in location within the year - by October 2019".
In his Budget on Monday, the chancellor said the modification to fixed-odds stakes would enter into force next October at the same time as changes to task charged on sports betting companies based abroad however operating in the UK.
The federal government states co-ordinating the date of the two modifications would indicate the government would not be hit by a fall in tax revenue.
Who is Tracey Crouch?
The 43-year-old MP has represented Chatham and Aylesford, in Kent, because 2010
She was promoted to the front bench as sports betting minister in 2015
She is understood for her opposition to fox hunting and her love of football - she is a certified FA coach
Grammar 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 meaning election
She had her very first child 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 implicated the federal government of "capitulating to the sports betting market".
He applauded Ms Crouch's "brave and principled decision" and said Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "ought to be thoroughly embarrassed" of prioritising "business interests over victims, profits over public health and greed over good".
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MPs from all sides of the House took part his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said it needs to be discussed 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 plenty of people whose lives have been damaged by this dependency ... We need to do this really rapidly, as rapidly as we can and in the meantime, the sports betting industry will make about ₤ 1bn as a result of this hold-up. That's wrong."
Labour has actually informed the BBC that they will put down a change to the Finance Bill to attempt and generate the changes next April.
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Sports Minister Tracey Crouch Resigns over 'Delay' To Betting Crackdown
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