GitLab

bet9ja.com
sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over 'delay' to wagering crackdown

1 November 2018

sports betting minister Tracey Crouch has resigned over "delays" to a crackdown on maximum stakes for fixed-odds wagering machines.

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 stated pressing back the date was "unjustifiable" and it could cost the lives of issue bettors.

She tweeted: "Politicians reoccur however concepts stay with us permanently."

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".

High stakes for fixed-odds sports betting makers

' I lost ₤ 250,000 on wagering machines'

sports betting maker stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The federal government has rejected Labour claims that MPs had been led to think the cut would enter 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 commitments made by others to those with registered interests.

This Twitter post can not be displayed in your internet browser. Please allow Javascript or try a various browser.View initial material on Twitter The BBC is not responsible for the material of external sites.

Skip twitter post by Tracey Crouch

Allow Twitter content?

This short article includes material supplied by Twitter. We ask for your consent before anything is packed, as they may be utilizing cookies and other innovations. You might wish to check out Twitter's cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To see this material select 'accept and continue'.

Accept and continue

The BBC is not accountable for the content of external websites.

End of twitter post by Tracey Crouch

"From the time of the announcement to lower stakes and its application, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these devices.

"In addition, two individuals will tragically 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 included: "It is a truth of federal government that ministers should follow cumulative responsibility and can not disagree with policy, let alone when it is policy made versus your desires relating 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 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 simply for her project however for sticking up for her concepts".

Fixed-odds sports betting terminals produce ₤ 1.8 bn in profits a year for the wagering industry, according to the Gambling Commission, external, and taxes of ₤ 400m for the federal government.

Currently, people can bet approximately ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic gambling establishment video games such as roulette. Anti-gambling campaigners say the makers let players lose money too quickly, causing dependency and social, psychological and financial issues.
bet9ja.com
But bookmakers have actually cautioned the cut in stakes might cause thousands of outlets closing.
bet9ja.com
In her reaction to Ms Crouch, the PM stated the federal government had listened to those who desired the changes to come into effect earlier than April 2020 and "had actually agreed that the changes need to remain in place within the year - by October 2019".

In his Budget on Monday, the chancellor stated the modification to fixed-odds stakes would enter force next October at the very same time as changes to task charged on gambling companies based abroad however operating in the UK.

The federal government states co-ordinating the date of the 2 changes would suggest the government would not be struck by a fall in tax income.

Who is Tracey Crouch?

The 43-year-old MP has represented Chatham and Aylesford, in Kent, given that 2010

She was promoted to the front bench as sports betting minister in 2015
bet9ja.com
She is understood for her opposition to fox searching and her love of football - she is a 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 numerous Tory MPs, including Michael Howard and David Davis before meaning election

She had her very first child 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 accused the government of "capitulating to the sports betting industry".
bit.ly
He applauded Ms Crouch's "courageous and principled choice" and said Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "should be thoroughly embarrassed" of prioritising "corporate interests over victims, profits over public health and greed over excellent".

MPs from all sides of your house signed up with in his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith stated it must 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 quickly as we can and in the meantime, the gambling industry will make about ₤ 1bn as a result of this delay. That's not best."

Labour has actually informed the BBC that they will put down a change to the Finance Bill to attempt and generate the changes next April.