Sports Minister Tracey Crouch Resigns over ‘Hold-up’ To Betting Crackdown
sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over ‘hold-up’ to sports betting crackdown
1 November 2018
sports betting minister Tracey Crouch has actually resigned over “hold-ups” to a crackdown on maximum stakes for fixed-odds wagering devices.
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 pushing back the date was “unjustifiable” and it might cost the lives of problem gamblers.
She tweeted: “Politicians come and go however principles stay with us forever.”
Prime Minister Theresa May said she was disappointed Ms Crouch had resigned but there had been “no hold-up in bringing forward this crucial measure”.
High stakes for fixed-odds wagering devices
‘ I lost ₤ 250,000 on sports betting makers’
sports betting maker stakes to be cut to ₤ 2
The federal government has denied 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 suggested the cut had been meant to be presented in April 2020.
But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch stated: “Unfortunately, implementation of these changes are now being delayed until October 2019 due to commitments 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 decrease stakes and its implementation, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these devices.
“In addition, 2 people will unfortunately take their lives every day due to gambling-related problems and, for that factor as much as any other, I believe this hold-up is unjustifiable.”
She included: “It is a reality of federal government that ministers need to adhere to cumulative responsibility and can not disagree with policy, let alone when it is policy made versus your dreams connecting to your own portfolio.”
‘God bless’
Among those applauding her on social media, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby tweeted, external that she was “principled and bold” including: “May God bless her commitment 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 concepts”.
Fixed-odds wagering terminals produce ₤ 1.8 bn in revenue a year for the sports betting industry, 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 games such as live roulette. Anti-gambling campaigners say the devices let gamers lose money too rapidly, resulting in addiction and social, psychological and financial problems.
But bookmakers have actually cautioned the cut in stakes could result in countless outlets .
In her action to Ms Crouch, the PM said the government had listened to those who wanted the modifications to come into effect quicker than April 2020 and “had actually agreed that the modifications need to be in location within the year – by October 2019”.
In his Budget on Monday, the chancellor said the change to fixed-odds stakes would enter force next October at the exact same time as modifications to responsibility charged on gaming firms based abroad however running in the UK.
The federal government states co-ordinating the date of the two modifications would indicate the federal government would not be struck by a fall in tax earnings.
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 known for her opposition to fox hunting and her love of football – she is a qualified 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 actually worked for various Tory MPs, including Michael Howard and David Davis before representing 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 accused the federal government of “capitulating to the sports betting market”.
He praised Ms Crouch’s “courageous and principled choice” and said Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright “ought to be thoroughly embarrassed” 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 should be discussed 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 been damaged by this dependency … We need to do this extremely rapidly, as quickly as we can and in the meantime, the sports betting industry will make about ₤ 1bn as an outcome of this hold-up. That’s not best.”
Labour has actually informed the BBC that they will put down an amendment to the Finance Bill to attempt and bring in the changes next April.
