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 maximum stakes for fixed-odds wagering devices.
Chancellor Philip Hammond said in Monday's Budget that the cut in stakes from ₤ 100 to ₤ 2 would enter into force in October 2019.
Ms Crouch said pressing back the date was "unjustifiable" and it might cost the lives of issue bettors.
She tweeted: "Politicians come and go but principles stick with us forever."
Prime Minister Theresa May stated she was dissatisfied Ms Crouch had actually resigned however there had been "no hold-up in advancing this important procedure".
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High stakes for fixed-odds wagering devices
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sports betting device stakes to be cut to ₤ 2
The federal government has denied Labour declares that MPs had actually been led to believe the cut would enter force at the start of the next tax year, in April 2019. They recommended the cut had actually been planned to be presented 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 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 announcement to minimize stakes and its execution, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these machines.
"In addition, two individuals will unfortunately take their lives every day due to gambling-related problems and, for that reason as much as any other, I believe this hold-up is unjustifiable."
She included: "It is a reality of federal government that ministers should stick to cumulative duty 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 networks, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby tweeted, external that she was "principled and courageous" including: "May God bless her commitment to doing right."
Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson tweeted, external that she "is worthy of huge credit not just for her project however for sticking up for her principles".
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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 as much as ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic gambling establishment games such as roulette. Anti-gambling campaigners say the devices let players lose cash too rapidly, resulting in addiction and social, psychological and monetary issues.
But bookmakers have warned the cut in stakes might cause thousands of outlets closing.
In her to Ms Crouch, the PM stated the federal government had actually listened to those who desired the modifications to come into effect sooner than April 2020 and "had actually agreed that the modifications need to remain in location within the year - by October 2019".
In his Budget on Monday, the chancellor said the modification to fixed-odds stakes would enter into force next October at the same time as modifications to task charged on gaming companies based abroad but running in the UK.
The government says co-ordinating the date of the two changes would suggest the government would not be struck 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, because 2010
She was promoted to the front bench as sports betting minister in 2015
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She is known for her opposition to fox hunting 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 actually worked for various Tory MPs, consisting of Michael Howard and David Davis before meaning election
She had her first kid in 2016 and is thought to have been the 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 gaming market".
He praised Ms Crouch's "brave and principled choice" and said Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "must be thoroughly embarrassed" of prioritising "corporate interests over victims, revenues over public health and greed over good".
MPs from all sides of your house joined in 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 lots of individuals whose lives have actually been harmed by this dependency ... We require to do this really rapidly, as rapidly as we can and in the meantime, the gambling industry will make about ₤ 1bn as an outcome of this hold-up. That's wrong."
Labour has informed the BBC that they will put down a change to the Finance Bill to try and bring in the modifications next April.
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Sports Minister Tracey Crouch Resigns over 'Delay' To Betting Crackdown
leannamotley8 edited this page 2025-01-01 05:51:08 +00:00