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sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over 'delay' to wagering crackdown
1 November 2018
sports betting minister Tracey Crouch has resigned over "hold-ups" to a crackdown on maximum stakes for fixed-odds wagering makers.
Chancellor Philip Hammond stated in Monday's Budget that the cut in stakes from ₤ 100 to ₤ 2 would enter force in October 2019.
Ms Crouch stated pushing back the date was "unjustifiable" and it could cost the lives of problem bettors.
She tweeted: "Politicians reoccur however concepts stick with us forever."
Prime Minister Theresa May said she was dissatisfied Ms Crouch had resigned but there had been "no delay in advancing this crucial measure".
High stakes for fixed-odds wagering devices
' I lost ₤ 250,000 on wagering makers'
sports betting device stakes to be cut to ₤ 2
The federal government has rejected Labour claims that MPs had been led to think the cut would come into force at the start of the next tax year, in April 2019. They recommended the cut had actually been meant to be introduced in April 2020.
But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch stated: "Unfortunately, application of these modifications are now being delayed until October 2019 due to dedications made by others to those with registered interests.
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End of twitter post by Tracey Crouch
"From the time of the announcement to lower stakes and its application, 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 problems and, because of that as much as any other, I believe this delay is unjustifiable."
She included: "It is a fact of government that ministers must stick to collective duty and can not disagree with policy, not to mention when it is policy made versus your dreams relating to your own portfolio."
'God bless'
Among those applauding her on social networks, 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 "should have huge credit not simply for her campaign however for sticking up for her concepts".
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 bet up to ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic casino games such as roulette. Anti-gambling advocates state the makers let players lose money too rapidly, causing dependency and social, psychological and monetary problems.
But bookies have actually cautioned the cut in stakes could lead to thousands of outlets closing.
In her response to Ms Crouch, the PM stated the federal government had actually listened to those who desired the changes to come into impact earlier 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 force next October at the same time as changes to task charged on sports betting companies based abroad however running in the UK.
The federal government says co-ordinating the date of the 2 modifications would suggest the federal government would not be struck by a fall in tax revenue.
Who is Tracey Crouch?
The 43-year-old MP has represented Chatham and Aylesford, in Kent, given that 2010
She was promoted to the front bench as sports betting minister in 2015
She is known 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 different Tory MPs, consisting of Michael Howard and David Davis before standing for election
She had her first kid 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 federal government of "capitulating to the gambling market".
He praised Ms Crouch's "brave and principled choice" and said Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "must be thoroughly ashamed" of prioritising "corporate interests over victims, earnings over public health and greed over good".
MPs from all sides of your house participated in 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
He told the BBC: "There are a lot of people whose lives have actually been harmed by this dependency ... We need to do this very rapidly, as quickly 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 told the BBC that they will put down an amendment to the Finance Bill to try and bring in the modifications next April. |
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