Sports Minister Tracey Crouch Resigns over ‘Hold-up’ To Betting Crackdown
sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over ‘delay’ to sports betting crackdown
1 November 2018
sports betting minister Tracey Crouch has resigned over “hold-ups” to a crackdown on maximum stakes for fixed-odds sports betting machines.
Chancellor Philip Hammond stated in Monday’s Budget that the cut in stakes from ₤ 100 to ₤ 2 would come into force in October 2019.
Ms Crouch said pressing back the date was “unjustifiable” and it might cost the lives of problem gamblers.
She tweeted: “Politicians reoccur but principles stay with us forever.”
Prime Minister Theresa May stated she was disappointed Ms Crouch had resigned however there had actually been “no delay in advancing this important procedure”.
High stakes for fixed-odds wagering devices
‘ I lost ₤ 250,000 on sports betting devices’
sports betting machine stakes to be cut to ₤ 2
The federal government has actually denied 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 actually been intended to be introduced in April 2020.
But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch said: “Unfortunately, implementation of these changes are now being postponed 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 announcement to reduce stakes and its execution, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these devices.
“In addition, 2 individuals 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 reality of government that ministers need to stick to cumulative responsibility and can not disagree with policy, not to mention when it is policy made against your desires relating 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 bold” adding: “May God bless her dedication to doing right.”
Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson tweeted, external that she “should have big credit not simply for her campaign but for sticking up for her concepts”.
Fixed-odds sports betting terminals produce ₤ 1.8 bn in earnings a year for the sports betting 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 establishment games such as live roulette. Anti-gambling advocates say the devices let players lose cash too quickly, resulting in addiction and social, psychological and monetary problems.
But bookmakers have cautioned the cut in stakes could lead to countless outlets closing.
In her reaction to Ms Crouch, the PM said the federal government had actually listened to those who desired the modifications to come into impact earlier than April 2020 and “had actually 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 come into force next October at the exact same time as changes to responsibility charged on sports betting firms based abroad but running in the UK.
The government states co-ordinating the date of the two modifications would mean the federal 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 searching and her love of football – she is a competent 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 worked for numerous Tory MPs, including Michael Howard and David Davis before meaning election
She had her very first child in 2016 and is believed 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 government of “capitulating to the gaming industry”.
He applauded Ms Crouch’s “courageous and principled choice” and said Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright “should be thoroughly embarrassed” of prioritising “business interests over victims, earnings over public health and greed over great”.
MPs from all sides of your house participated 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
He informed the BBC: “There are lots of individuals whose lives have actually been harmed by this dependency … We require to do this very quickly, as rapidly as we can and in the meantime, the gaming market 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 an amendment to the Finance Bill to try and generate the modifications next April.