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sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over 'delay' to wagering crackdown
1 November 2018
sports betting minister Tracey Crouch has resigned over "hold-ups" to a crackdown on optimal stakes for fixed-odds sports betting machines.
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 pushing back the date was "unjustifiable" and it could cost the lives of issue gamblers.
She tweeted: "Politicians reoccur but principles stick with us forever."
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Prime Minister Theresa May stated she was dissatisfied Ms Crouch had resigned however there had actually been "no hold-up in advancing this essential step".
High stakes for fixed-odds wagering devices
' I lost ₤ 250,000 on sports betting devices'
sports betting maker stakes to be cut to ₤ 2
The government has rejected 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 actually been planned to be introduced in April 2020.
But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch stated: "Unfortunately, implementation of these modifications are now being delayed until October 2019 due to commitments made by others to those with registered interests.
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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 devices.
"In addition, two individuals will unfortunately take their lives every day due to gambling-related issues and, for that factor as much as any other, I think this hold-up is unjustifiable."
She added: "It is a truth of government that ministers need to follow collective obligation and can not disagree with policy, let alone when it is policy made versus your wishes associating with your own portfolio."
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'God bless'
Among those praising her on social networks, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby tweeted, external that she was "principled and brave" adding: "May God bless her dedication to doing right."
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Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson tweeted, external that she "deserves substantial credit not just for her campaign however for sticking up for her concepts".
Fixed-odds sports betting terminals create ₤ 1.8 bn in earnings a year for the wagering 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 games such as roulette. Anti-gambling advocates say the makers let players lose money too quickly, leading to addiction and social, mental and monetary problems.
But bookies have warned the cut in stakes could lead to thousands of outlets closing.
In her reaction to Ms Crouch, the PM stated the government had listened to those who wanted the modifications to come into impact sooner than April 2020 and "had agreed that the changes ought to be in place within the year - by October 2019".
In his Budget on Monday, the chancellor stated the change to fixed-odds stakes would enter force next October at the same time as changes to duty charged on gambling firms based abroad but operating in the UK.
The government says co-ordinating the date of the two changes would suggest the government would not be struck by a fall in tax revenue.
Who is Tracey Crouch?
The 43-year-old MP has 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 hunting and her love of football - she is a qualified FA coach
Grammar 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 numerous Tory MPs, including Michael Howard and David Davis before meaning election
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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 on Thursday, Labour's deputy leader Tom Watson implicated the government of "capitulating to the gambling industry".
He praised Ms Crouch's "bold and principled decision" and said Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "need to be thoroughly ashamed" of prioritising "corporate interests over victims, revenues over public health and greed over good".
MPs from all sides of your house participated his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith stated it should be discussed as part of the Finance Bill later on this month.
Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill
He informed the BBC: "There are a lot of people whose lives have actually been harmed by this addiction ... We require to do this really rapidly, as rapidly as we can and in the meantime, the gaming industry will make about ₤ 1bn as a result of this delay. That's wrong."
Labour has told the BBC that they will put down a modification to the Finance Bill to try and bring in the modifications next April.
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Sports Minister Tracey Crouch Resigns over 'Delay' To Betting Crackdown
archerburt3543 edited this page 2024-12-17 20:26:16 +01:00