sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over 'delay' to wagering crackdown
bet9ja.com
1 November 2018
bit.ly
sports betting minister Tracey Crouch has actually resigned over "delays" to a crackdown on maximum stakes for fixed-odds sports betting devices.

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

She tweeted: "Politicians come and go however principles stick with us permanently."

Prime Minister Theresa May said she was disappointed Ms Crouch had actually resigned however there had actually been "no delay in bringing forward this crucial step".

High stakes for fixed-odds wagering machines

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

sports betting device stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The government has rejected Labour claims that MPs had actually 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 introduced in April 2020.

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

This Twitter post can not be shown in your internet browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on Twitter The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

Skip twitter post by Tracey Crouch

Allow Twitter material?

This post includes material supplied by Twitter. We request for your authorization before anything is filled, as they may be utilizing cookies and other technologies. You may want to check out Twitter's cookie policy, external and personal privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this material choose 'accept and continue'.

Accept and continue

The BBC is not responsible for the material of external websites.

End of twitter post by Tracey Crouch

"From the time of the announcement to lower stakes and its application, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these machines.

"In addition, two people will unfortunately 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 included: "It is a reality of federal government that ministers should adhere to cumulative obligation and can not disagree with policy, not to mention when it is policy made against your wishes 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 brave" including: "May God bless her commitment to doing right."

Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson tweeted, external that she "is worthy of big credit not just for her project however for sticking up for her concepts".

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

Currently, people can wager up to ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic casino games such as roulette. Anti-gambling campaigners state the machines let gamers lose money too rapidly, leading to dependency and social, psychological and monetary issues.

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

In her action to Ms Crouch, the PM said the federal government had actually listened to those who wanted the changes to come into effect sooner than April 2020 and "had concurred that the modifications need to be in place within the year - by October 2019".

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

The federal government states co-ordinating the date of the 2 changes would imply the federal government would not be struck by a fall in tax earnings.

Who is Tracey Crouch?

The 43-year-old MP has represented Chatham and Aylesford, in Kent, given that 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

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 representing 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 federal government of "capitulating to the gambling market".

He praised Ms Crouch's "brave and principled decision" and said Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "should be completely embarrassed" of prioritising "business interests over victims, revenues over public health and greed over good".

MPs from all sides of your house took part his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said it should be gone over as part of the Finance Bill later on 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 quickly, as rapidly as we can and in the meantime, the gaming industry will make about ₤ 1bn as an outcome of this hold-up. That's not ideal."

Labour has informed the BBC that they will put down a change to the Finance Bill to try and bring in the modifications next April.
bit.ly