sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over 'hold-up' to wagering crackdown

1 November 2018

sports betting minister Tracey Crouch has actually resigned over "delays" to a crackdown on optimal stakes for fixed-odds wagering 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 could cost the lives of problem bettors.

She tweeted: "Politicians come and go however principles stick with us permanently."

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

High stakes for fixed-odds sports betting devices

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

sports betting machine stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

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

But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch said: "Unfortunately, implementation of these modifications are now being postponed up 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 statement to minimize stakes and its application, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these makers.

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

She included: "It is a fact of federal government that ministers must comply with cumulative obligation and can not disagree with policy, let alone when it is policy made versus your wishes 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 courageous" adding: "May God bless her dedication to doing right."

Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson tweeted, external that she "should have huge credit not just for her project but for sticking up for her principles".

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

Currently, individuals can bet up to ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic gambling establishment video games such as live roulette. Anti-gambling advocates say the devices let gamers lose money too rapidly, causing addiction and social, mental and monetary issues.

But bookmakers have alerted the cut in stakes might lead to thousands of outlets closing.

In her reaction to Ms Crouch, the PM said the federal government had actually listened to those who wanted the changes to come into result earlier than April 2020 and "had agreed that the changes must be in place within the year - by October 2019".

In his Budget on Monday, the chancellor said the change to fixed-odds stakes would enter into force next October at the very same time as changes to responsibility charged on gambling firms based abroad however operating in the UK.

The federal government says co-ordinating the date of the two changes would mean the federal government would not be hit by a fall in tax earnings.

Who is Tracey Crouch?

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

She had her very first child in 2016 and is believed to have been the first Tory minister to take maternity leave

But in the Commons on Thursday, Labour's deputy leader Tom Watson accused the government of "capitulating to the gaming industry".

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

MPs from all sides of your house took part his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith stated it should be gone over as part of the Finance Bill later on 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 really rapidly, as rapidly as we can and in the meantime, the gambling market will make about ₤ 1bn as an outcome of this delay. That's not best."

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