sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over 'delay' to sports betting crackdown

1 November 2018

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

Chancellor Philip Hammond stated in Monday's Budget that the cut in stakes from ₤ 100 to ₤ 2 would enter force in October 2019.

Ms Crouch said pressing back the date was "unjustifiable" and it might cost the lives of problem bettors.

She tweeted: "Politicians come and go however principles remain with us forever."

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

High stakes for fixed-odds sports betting machines

' I lost ₤ 250,000 on wagering machines'

sports betting maker stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The federal government has denied Labour claims that MPs had 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 been meant to be presented in April 2020.

But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch said: "Unfortunately, application of these changes are now being postponed up until October 2019 due to commitments 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 lower stakes and its implementation, 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 issues and, because of that as much as any other, I think this hold-up is unjustifiable."

She added: "It is a fact of federal government that ministers should adhere to cumulative obligation and can not disagree with policy, let alone when it is policy made against your wishes associating with 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" adding: "May God bless her commitment to doing right."

Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson tweeted, external that she "deserves huge credit not simply for her campaign however for sticking up for her concepts".

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

Currently, individuals can wager approximately ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic casino games such as roulette. Anti-gambling campaigners state the devices let players lose money too rapidly, resulting in dependency and social, mental and monetary problems.

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

In her response to Ms Crouch, the PM stated the federal government had listened to those who wanted the changes to come into result faster than April 2020 and "had actually agreed that the changes must be in location within the year - by October 2019".

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

The federal government states co-ordinating the date of the two modifications would mean the federal government would not be hit by a fall in tax profits.

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

She is known 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 different Tory MPs, including Michael Howard and David Davis before representing election

She had her first child 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 government of "capitulating to the sports betting industry".

He praised Ms Crouch's "bold 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 the House signed up with in his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith stated it ought to 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 plenty of people whose lives have been damaged by this addiction ... We need to do this really quickly, as rapidly as we can and in the meantime, the gambling market 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 a modification to the Finance Bill to attempt and generate the changes next April.