sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over 'hold-up' to sports betting crackdown
bet9ja.com
1 November 2018

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

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 pressing back the date was "unjustifiable" and it could cost the lives of problem gamblers.

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 been "no delay in bringing forward this essential procedure".
bit.ly
High stakes for fixed-odds sports betting devices

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

sports betting maker stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

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

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

This Twitter post can not be shown in your web browser. Please allow Javascript or try a different browser.View initial material on Twitter The BBC is not responsible for the material of external sites.

Skip twitter post by Tracey Crouch

Allow Twitter material?

This post includes content provided by Twitter. We request your approval before anything is filled, as they may be utilizing cookies and other innovations. You might want to check out Twitter's cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose 'accept and continue'.

Accept and continue
bit.ly
The BBC is not accountable for the material of external sites.

End of twitter post by Tracey Crouch

"From the time of the statement to lower stakes and its application, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these devices.

"In addition, two people will unfortunately take their lives every day due to gambling-related problems and, for that reason as much as any other, I think this hold-up is unjustifiable."

She added: "It is a truth of federal government that ministers need to comply with collective responsibility and can not disagree with policy, not to mention when it is policy made against your dreams associating with 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 bold" adding: "May God bless her dedication to doing right."

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

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

Currently, individuals can wager as much as ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic casino games such as roulette. Anti-gambling advocates state the devices let gamers lose money too rapidly, resulting in addiction and social, psychological and monetary problems.

But bookies have warned the cut in stakes could cause thousands of outlets closing.

In her action to Ms Crouch, the PM said the federal government had listened to those who desired the modifications to come into result quicker than April 2020 and "had agreed that the modifications must 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 same time as modifications to duty charged on gambling companies based abroad however operating in the UK.

The government states co-ordinating the date of the 2 modifications would indicate 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

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 certified FA coach

Grammar school informed at Folkestone School for Girls, she went on to get a degree in law and from Hull University

She had actually worked for numerous 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 federal government of "capitulating to the gambling industry".

He applauded Ms Crouch's "bold and principled decision" and said Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "should be completely ashamed" of prioritising "business interests over victims, profits over public health and greed over great".

MPs from all sides of your house took part his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said it ought to be discussed as part of the Finance Bill later this month.

Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill
bet9ja.com
He informed the BBC: "There are a lot of people whose lives have actually been damaged by this dependency ... We require to do this really quickly, as rapidly as we can and in the meantime, the gambling market will make about ₤ 1bn as a result of this hold-up. That's wrong."

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