sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over 'delay' to wagering crackdown
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1 November 2018
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sports betting minister Tracey Crouch has resigned over "hold-ups" to a crackdown on maximum stakes for fixed-odds wagering devices.

Chancellor Philip Hammond stated in 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 bettors.

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

Prime Minister Theresa May said she was disappointed Ms Crouch had actually resigned however there had actually been "no delay in bringing forward this important step".

High stakes for fixed-odds wagering machines

' I lost ₤ 250,000 on wagering machines'

sports betting device stakes to be cut to ₤ 2
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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 been planned to be introduced in April 2020.

But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch stated: "Unfortunately, application of these changes 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 announcement to minimize stakes and its execution, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these makers.

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

She included: "It is a reality of federal government that ministers need to comply with cumulative obligation and can not disagree with policy, not to mention when it is policy made versus your wishes connecting to 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 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 just for her campaign however for sticking up for her principles".

Fixed-odds sports betting 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, people can wager up to ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic casino games such as live roulette. Anti-gambling advocates state the machines let players lose cash too quickly, resulting in dependency and social, mental and monetary problems.

But bookies have warned the cut in stakes might result in thousands of outlets closing.

In her reaction to Ms Crouch, the PM said the government had listened to those who wanted the modifications to come into impact quicker than April 2020 and "had agreed that the changes must 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 force next October at the exact same time as changes to task charged on gambling firms based abroad but running in the UK.

The federal government states co-ordinating the date of the two modifications would imply the federal government would not be hit by a fall in tax revenue.

Who is Tracey Crouch?

The 43-year-old MP has actually represented Chatham and Aylesford, in Kent, considering that 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 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 numerous Tory MPs, including Michael Howard and David Davis before standing for election

She had her first kid in 2016 and is believed 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 market".

He applauded Ms Crouch's "courageous and principled decision" and stated Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "ought to be completely embarrassed" of prioritising "corporate interests over victims, revenues over public health and greed over great".

MPs from all sides of your home joined in his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said it ought to be talked about as part of the Finance Bill later on this month.
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Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill
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He told the BBC: "There are plenty of people whose lives have been harmed by this addiction ... We require to do this extremely quickly, as quickly as we can and in the meantime, the gambling market will make about ₤ 1bn as an outcome of this delay. That's not ideal."

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