bit.ly
sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over 'hold-up' to sports betting crackdown
bit.ly
1 November 2018
bit.ly
sports betting minister Tracey Crouch has actually resigned over "delays" to a crackdown on optimal stakes for fixed-odds sports betting machines.

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 said pushing back the date was "unjustifiable" and it could cost the lives of problem gamblers.

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

Prime Minister Theresa May stated she was disappointed Ms Crouch had actually resigned but there had been "no delay in bringing forward this essential step".

High stakes for fixed-odds sports betting machines

' I lost ₤ 250,000 on wagering devices'

sports betting maker stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The government has actually rejected Labour that MPs had been led to think the cut would come into force at the start of the next tax year, in April 2019. They recommended the cut had actually been meant to be presented in April 2020.

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

This Twitter post can not be shown in your browser. Please allow Javascript or attempt a different browser.View initial content on Twitter The BBC is not accountable for the content of external sites.

Skip twitter post by Tracey Crouch

Allow Twitter content?
bet9ja.com
This short article includes content provided by Twitter. We request for your consent before anything is loaded, as they might be utilizing cookies and other innovations. You might desire to read Twitter's cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To see this material pick '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 statement to lower 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 problems and, because of that as much as any other, I believe this delay is unjustifiable."

She included: "It is a fact of government that ministers need to stick to cumulative responsibility and can not disagree with policy, not to mention when it is policy made against your desires associating with your own portfolio."

'God bless'

Among those praising her on social media, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby tweeted, external that she was "principled and courageous" adding: "May God bless her commitment to doing right."

Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson tweeted, external that she "deserves substantial credit not simply for her project however for sticking up for her principles".

Fixed-odds wagering terminals produce ₤ 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, people can wager up to ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic casino video games such as roulette. Anti-gambling campaigners state the makers let players lose cash too rapidly, resulting in addiction and social, mental and monetary problems.

But bookmakers have alerted the cut in stakes could result in countless outlets closing.

In her response to Ms Crouch, the PM said the government had actually listened to those who wanted the changes to come into result quicker than April 2020 and "had actually concurred that the modifications must remain in place within the year - by October 2019".

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

The government states co-ordinating the date of the two modifications would imply the government would not be struck by a fall in tax earnings.

Who is Tracey Crouch?

The 43-year-old MP has actually represented Chatham and Aylesford, in Kent, considering that 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 qualified FA coach

Grade school educated at Folkestone School for Girls, she went on to get a degree in law and politics from Hull University

She had worked for numerous 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 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 gaming market".

He applauded Ms Crouch's "bold and principled choice" and stated Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "need to be completely ashamed" of prioritising "business interests over victims, profits over public health and greed over excellent".

MPs from all sides of your home joined in his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said it should be talked about as part of the Finance Bill later this month.

Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill
bet9ja.com
He told the BBC: "There are plenty of individuals whose lives have been damaged by this dependency ... We require to do this really rapidly, as quickly as we can and in the meantime, the sports betting market will make about ₤ 1bn as an outcome of this delay. That's not ideal."

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.
bet9ja.com