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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 resigned over "hold-ups" to a crackdown on optimal stakes for fixed-odds wagering machines.

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 issue gamblers.

She tweeted: "Politicians reoccur however principles stick with us permanently."

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

High stakes for fixed-odds sports betting makers

' I lost ₤ 250,000 on sports betting machines'

sports betting maker stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The federal government has actually denied Labour claims that MPs had 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 planned to be introduced in April 2020.

But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch said: "Unfortunately, implementation of these modifications are now being delayed till October 2019 due to dedications made by others to those with registered interests.

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End of twitter post by Tracey Crouch

"From the time of the statement to lower stakes and its execution, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these makers.

"In addition, two individuals will unfortunately take their lives every day due to gambling-related issues and, for that factor as much as any other, I believe this delay is unjustifiable."

She included: "It is a fact of government that ministers should adhere to collective responsibility and can not disagree with policy, not to mention when it is policy made against your dreams 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 bold" adding: "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 create ₤ 1.8 bn in revenue a year for the wagering market, according to the Gambling Commission, external, and taxes of ₤ 400m for the federal government.

Currently, individuals can bet as much as ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic casino games such as live roulette. Anti-gambling campaigners state the devices let gamers lose cash too quickly, leading to addiction and social, mental and monetary issues.

But bookmakers have cautioned the cut in stakes might lead to thousands of outlets closing.

In her reaction to Ms Crouch, the PM said the government had actually listened to those who wanted the modifications to come into result faster than April 2020 and "had actually concurred that the changes must remain in place 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 exact same time as modifications to task charged on gaming firms based abroad but operating in the UK.

The government states co-ordinating the date of the 2 changes would mean the federal government would not be hit by a fall in tax earnings.

Who is Tracey Crouch?

The 43-year-old MP has actually represented Chatham and Aylesford, in Kent, since 2010

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 worked for various Tory MPs, including Michael Howard and David Davis before representing election

She had her first kid in 2016 and is believed to have actually 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 gambling industry".

He applauded Ms Crouch's "courageous and principled choice" and stated Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "should be completely embarrassed" of prioritising "corporate interests over victims, profits over public health and greed over great".

MPs from all sides of your house participated his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said it should be gone over as part of the Finance Bill later this month.

Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill
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He informed the BBC: "There are lots of individuals whose lives have actually been damaged by this addiction ... We need to do this very quickly, as rapidly 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 told the BBC that they will put down an amendment to the Finance Bill to try and bring in the changes next April.
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