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sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over 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 sports betting makers.

Chancellor Philip Hammond stated in Monday's Budget that the cut in stakes from ₤ 100 to ₤ 2 would enter into force in October 2019.

Ms Crouch said pushing back the date was "unjustifiable" and it might cost the lives of issue gamblers.
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She tweeted: "Politicians reoccur but concepts remain with us forever."

Prime Minister Theresa May stated she was dissatisfied Ms Crouch had actually resigned however there had been "no hold-up in bringing forward this important procedure".

High stakes for fixed-odds sports betting makers
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' I lost ₤ 250,000 on wagering machines'

sports betting machine stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The federal government has rejected Labour declares that MPs had actually 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 intended to be introduced in April 2020.

But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch said: "Unfortunately, application of these modifications 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 application, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these devices.

"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 think this hold-up is unjustifiable."

She added: "It is a reality of government that ministers should abide by collective obligation and can not disagree with policy, not to mention when it is policy made versus your desires connecting 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 brave" including: "May God bless her commitment to doing right."

Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson tweeted, external that she "deserves big credit not just for her campaign however for sticking up for her principles".

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

Currently, individuals can wager approximately ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic casino video games such as roulette. Anti-gambling campaigners say the devices let gamers lose money too rapidly, causing addiction and social, mental and monetary issues.

But bookmakers have actually alerted the cut in stakes could lead to countless outlets closing.

In her reaction to Ms Crouch, the PM said the government had actually listened to those who desired the changes to come into impact sooner than April 2020 and "had actually concurred that the changes should remain in location within the year - by October 2019".

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

The government states co-ordinating the date of the two changes would indicate the federal government would not be hit by a fall in tax profits.
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Who is Tracey Crouch?

The 43-year-old MP has actually represented Chatham and Aylesford, in Kent, given that 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 qualified FA coach

Grammar school informed 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, including 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 government of "capitulating to the sports betting market".
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He applauded Ms Crouch's "bold and principled decision" and stated Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "ought to be thoroughly ashamed" of prioritising "business interests over victims, revenues over public health and greed over good".

MPs from all sides of your home took part his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said it must be talked about as part of the Finance Bill later this month.

Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill

He told the BBC: "There are plenty of people whose lives have actually been harmed by this addiction ... We need to do this extremely 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 not best."

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