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sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over 'delay' to sports betting 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 sports betting makers.

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

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

She tweeted: "Politicians come and go but concepts stay with us permanently."

Prime Minister Theresa May said she was dissatisfied Ms Crouch had resigned however there had actually been "no delay in bringing forward this essential measure".

High stakes for fixed-odds wagering devices

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

sports betting maker stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

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

But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch stated: "Unfortunately, implementation of these changes 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 statement to decrease stakes and its application, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these makers.
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"In addition, 2 people will tragically take their lives every day due to gambling-related issues and, for that reason as much as any other, I believe this delay is unjustifiable."

She added: "It is a truth of government that ministers must adhere to cumulative obligation and can not disagree with policy, not to mention when it is policy made versus 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 substantial credit not just for her campaign but for sticking up for her principles".

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

Currently, individuals can wager as much as ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic gambling establishment video games such as live roulette. Anti-gambling campaigners state the machines let gamers lose money too rapidly, leading to dependency and social, psychological and monetary problems.

But bookies have warned the cut in stakes could lead to countless outlets closing.

In her response to Ms Crouch, the PM stated the government had actually listened to those who wanted the modifications to come into impact earlier than April 2020 and "had actually concurred that the modifications need to remain 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 very same time as changes to responsibility charged on gaming firms based abroad however running 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 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 searching 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 different Tory MPs, including Michael Howard and David Davis before standing for election

She had her very first kid in 2016 and is believed 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 stated Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "must be thoroughly ashamed" 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 stated it ought to be discussed 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 a lot of individuals whose lives have been damaged by this dependency ... We need to do this really rapidly, as quickly as we can and in the meantime, the sports betting market will make about ₤ 1bn as a result of this hold-up. That's wrong."

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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