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sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over 'hold-up' to wagering crackdown
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1 November 2018
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sports betting minister Tracey Crouch has resigned over "delays" to a crackdown on optimal stakes for fixed-odds sports betting makers.

Chancellor Philip Hammond said 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 issue bettors.

She tweeted: "Politicians reoccur but concepts remain with us permanently."

Prime Minister Theresa May stated she was disappointed Ms Crouch had actually resigned however there had been "no delay in advancing this important procedure".

High stakes for fixed-odds sports betting machines

' I lost ₤ 250,000 on wagering makers'

sports betting machine stakes to be cut to ₤ 2
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The government has actually denied Labour declares that MPs had actually been led to think the cut would enter force at the start of the next tax year, in April 2019. They suggested the cut had actually been intended to be introduced in April 2020.

But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch stated: "Unfortunately, execution 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 implementation, 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, because of that as much as any other, I believe this hold-up is unjustifiable."

She added: "It is a reality of federal government that ministers need to stick to collective obligation and can not disagree with policy, not to mention when it is policy made against your desires 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 brave" 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 generate ₤ 1.8 bn in earnings a year for the wagering industry, according to the Gambling Commission, external, and taxes of ₤ 400m for the government.

Currently, individuals can bet approximately ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic casino games such as live roulette. Anti-gambling campaigners say the makers let players lose cash too rapidly, leading to addiction and social, mental and monetary issues.

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

In her action to Ms Crouch, the PM said the federal government had listened to those who desired the changes to come into result earlier than April 2020 and "had concurred that the modifications must be in location within the year - by October 2019".

In his Budget on Monday, the chancellor said the change to fixed-odds stakes would come into force next October at the same time as changes to task charged on sports betting companies based abroad but operating in the UK.

The government says co-ordinating the date of the two changes would suggest the 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 represented Chatham and Aylesford, in Kent, considering that 2010

She was promoted to the front bench as sports betting minister in 2015

She is known for her opposition to fox hunting and her love of football - she is a competent FA coach
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Grammar school informed at Folkestone School for Girls, she went on to get a degree in law and politics from Hull University

She had actually worked for various Tory MPs, consisting of Michael Howard and David Davis before representing election

She had her 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 federal government of "capitulating to the sports betting industry".

He applauded Ms Crouch's "brave and principled decision" and said Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "must be thoroughly embarrassed" of prioritising "corporate interests over victims, profits over public health and greed over excellent".

MPs from all sides of your house joined in his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith stated it needs 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

He told the BBC: "There are a lot of people whose lives have been damaged by this dependency ... We need to do this really quickly, as rapidly as we can and in the meantime, the sports betting industry will make about ₤ 1bn as an outcome of this delay. That's not best."

Labour has actually told the BBC that they will put down a modification to the Bill to attempt and generate the modifications next April.