sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over 'hold-up' to sports betting crackdown
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1 November 2018

sports betting minister Tracey Crouch has actually resigned over "delays" to a crackdown on optimal stakes for fixed-odds sports betting 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 stated pushing back the date was "unjustifiable" and it could cost the lives of issue bettors.

She tweeted: "Politicians reoccur but concepts stick with us forever."

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

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

sports betting machine stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The federal government has actually denied that MPs had actually been led to think the cut would enter into force at the start of the next tax year, in April 2019. They suggested the cut had actually been planned to be introduced in April 2020.

But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch said: "Unfortunately, execution 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 minimize stakes and its execution, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these machines.

"In addition, 2 individuals will tragically take their lives every day due to gambling-related issues and, because of that as much as any other, I believe this delay is unjustifiable."

She added: "It is a reality of federal government that ministers need to comply with collective duty and can not disagree with policy, let alone when it is policy made against your dreams associating with 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 dedication to doing right."

Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson tweeted, external that she "is worthy of huge credit not just 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 sports betting market, according to the Gambling Commission, external, and taxes of ₤ 400m for the government.

Currently, people can bet up to ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic casino games such as live roulette. Anti-gambling campaigners say the devices let players lose cash too rapidly, leading to dependency and social, mental and financial issues.

But bookmakers have alerted the cut in stakes could cause thousands of outlets closing.

In her action to Ms Crouch, the PM stated the federal government had listened to those who wanted the changes to come into impact sooner than April 2020 and "had actually agreed that the changes ought to remain in location 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 duty charged on gambling companies based abroad but operating in the UK.

The government says co-ordinating the date of the two modifications would indicate the government would not be struck by a fall in tax profits.

Who is Tracey Crouch?

The 43-year-old MP has actually represented Chatham and Aylesford, in Kent, because 2010
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She was promoted to the front bench as sports betting minister in 2015

She is understood for her opposition to fox hunting and her love of football - she is a competent FA coach

Grade 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 standing for 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 gaming market".

He praised Ms Crouch's "courageous and principled choice" and said Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "must be completely embarrassed" of prioritising "business interests over victims, revenues over public health and greed over excellent".

MPs from all sides of your home participated his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said it needs to 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 lots of individuals whose lives have been damaged by this addiction ... We need to do this extremely quickly, as quickly as we can and in the meantime, the gaming industry will make about ₤ 1bn as an outcome of this delay. That's not right."

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