sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over 'hold-up' to wagering 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 stated pressing back the date was "unjustifiable" and it could cost the lives of issue bettors.

She tweeted: "Politicians come and go however principles remain with us forever."

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

High stakes for fixed-odds wagering machines

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

sports betting maker stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The federal government has actually rejected Labour declares 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 been meant to be presented in April 2020.

But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch said: "Unfortunately, application of these changes are now being postponed till October 2019 due to dedications made by others to those with registered interests.

This Twitter post can not be shown in your browser. Please enable Javascript or attempt a different browser.View initial material on Twitter
The BBC is not accountable for the content of external websites.

Skip twitter post by Tracey Crouch

Allow Twitter content?

This post contains material offered by Twitter. We request for your authorization before anything is packed, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You might wish to read Twitter's cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content select 'accept and continue'.

Accept and continue

The BBC is not responsible for the material of external sites.

End of twitter post by Tracey Crouch

"From the time of the statement to decrease stakes and its implementation, 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 problems and, because of that as much as any other, I believe this hold-up is unjustifiable."

She included: "It is a fact of government that ministers should stick to cumulative duty and can not disagree with policy, not to mention when it is policy made against 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 brave" including: "May God bless her dedication to doing right."

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

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

Currently, individuals can bet approximately ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic casino games such as live roulette. Anti-gambling advocates state the makers let gamers lose money too quickly, resulting in addiction and social, mental and financial issues.

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

In her action to Ms Crouch, the PM stated the government had listened to those who wanted the modifications to come into impact quicker than April 2020 and "had concurred that the modifications need to be in place within the year - by October 2019".

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

The government says co-ordinating the date of the 2 changes would mean 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, because 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 actually been the 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 industry".

He praised Ms Crouch's "courageous and principled decision" and said Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "should be thoroughly ashamed" of prioritising "corporate interests over victims, earnings over public health and greed over great".

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

Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill

He informed the BBC: "There are plenty of people whose lives have actually been damaged by this addiction ... We require to do this very 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 not ideal."

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