sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over 'hold-up' 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 come into force in October 2019.

Ms Crouch said pushing back the date was "unjustifiable" and it could cost the lives of issue bettors.

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

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

High stakes for fixed-odds wagering devices

' I lost ₤ 250,000 on wagering machines'

sports betting maker stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The government has rejected Labour claims that MPs had been led to think the cut would enter force at the start of the next tax year, in April 2019. They suggested the cut had been intended to be presented in April 2020.

But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch said: "Unfortunately, execution 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 announcement 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 think this hold-up is unjustifiable."

She added: "It is a fact of government that ministers need to abide by collective obligation and can not disagree with policy, let alone when it is policy made versus your dreams connecting to 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 "deserves substantial credit not just for her campaign but for sticking up for her concepts".

Fixed-odds wagering terminals generate ₤ 1.8 bn in income a year for the wagering market, according to the Gambling Commission, external, and taxes of ₤ 400m for the government.

Currently, individuals can wager approximately ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic casino video games such as roulette. Anti-gambling advocates say the devices let gamers lose money too quickly, resulting in addiction and social, mental and monetary problems.

But bookmakers have warned the cut in stakes might lead to countless outlets closing.

In her reaction to Ms Crouch, the PM stated the government had listened to those who wanted the changes to come into effect earlier than April 2020 and "had actually concurred that the changes must remain in location within the year - by October 2019".

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

The federal government states co-ordinating the date of the two changes would mean the federal government would not be struck by a fall in tax revenue.

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 known for her opposition to fox searching and her love of football - she is a certified FA 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 various Tory MPs, consisting of Michael Howard and David Davis before standing for election

She had her very first kid in 2016 and is believed to have been the very 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 market".

He applauded Ms Crouch's "bold and principled decision" and said Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "need to be thoroughly embarrassed" of prioritising "corporate interests over victims, profits over public health and greed over great".

MPs from all sides of the House joined in his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith stated it needs to be discussed as part of the Finance Bill later on this month.

Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill

He told the BBC: "There are a lot of people whose lives have actually been damaged by this addiction ... We need to do this very rapidly, as rapidly as we can and in the meantime, the sports betting industry will make about ₤ 1bn as an outcome of this delay. That's not right."

Labour has informed the BBC that they will put down an amendment to the Finance Bill to attempt and generate the modifications next April.