sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over 'hold-up' to wagering crackdown
1 November 2018
sports betting minister Tracey Crouch has resigned over "hold-ups" to a crackdown on maximum stakes for fixed-odds wagering machines.
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 issue bettors.
She tweeted: "Politicians reoccur however principles stick with us forever."
Prime Minister Theresa May said she was disappointed Ms Crouch had resigned however there had actually been "no hold-up in bringing forward this essential step".
High stakes for fixed-odds wagering makers
' I lost ₤ 250,000 on sports betting devices'
sports betting device stakes to be cut to ₤ 2
The federal government has rejected Labour claims that MPs had actually been led to think the cut would come into force at the start of the next tax year, in April 2019. They suggested the cut had been meant to be introduced in April 2020.
But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch said: "Unfortunately, execution of these changes are now being delayed up until October 2019 due to dedications made by others to those with signed up interests.
This Twitter post can not be shown in your browser. Please make it possible for Javascript or try a different browser.View original material on Twitter
The BBC is not accountable for the material of external sites.
Skip twitter post by Tracey Crouch
Allow Twitter content?
This short article contains content offered by Twitter. We request your consent before anything is filled, as they might be utilizing cookies and other innovations. You may wish to check out Twitter's cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To see this content choose 'accept and continue'.
bit.ly
Accept and continue
The BBC is not accountable for the material of external sites.
End of twitter post by Tracey Crouch
"From the time of the statement to reduce stakes and its application, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these machines.
"In addition, two individuals will unfortunately take their lives every day due to gambling-related problems and, because of that as much as any other, I believe this hold-up is unjustifiable."
She included: "It is a truth of government that ministers must stick to collective duty and can not disagree with policy, let alone when it is policy made against your dreams connecting to your own portfolio."
'God bless'
Among those applauding her on social networks, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby tweeted, external that she was "principled and courageous" including: "May God bless her commitment to doing right."
Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson tweeted, external that she "should have huge credit not simply for her campaign however for sticking up for her concepts".
Fixed-odds sports betting terminals produce ₤ 1.8 bn in earnings a year for the wagering market, 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 state the machines let gamers lose cash too rapidly, causing dependency and social, psychological and financial problems.
But bookmakers have cautioned the cut in stakes could result in thousands of outlets closing.
In her response to Ms Crouch, the PM stated the federal government had to those who desired the changes to come into effect earlier than April 2020 and "had actually agreed that the changes must remain in location within the year - by October 2019".
In his Budget on Monday, the chancellor said the modification to fixed-odds stakes would come into force next October at the exact same time as changes to task charged on sports betting companies based abroad but running in the UK.
The government says co-ordinating the date of the two modifications would indicate the federal government would not be hit by a fall in tax earnings.
Who is Tracey Crouch?
The 43-year-old MP has represented Chatham and Aylesford, in Kent, because 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 competent FA coach
Grammar school educated at Folkestone School for Girls, she went on to get a degree in law and politics from Hull University
bit.ly
She had actually worked for numerous Tory MPs, consisting of Michael Howard and David Davis before meaning election
She had her first child 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 industry".
He applauded Ms Crouch's "courageous and principled decision" and stated Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "should be thoroughly embarrassed" of prioritising "corporate interests over victims, revenues over public health and greed over good".
MPs from all sides of the House participated 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
He told the BBC: "There are a lot of people whose lives have been damaged by this addiction ... We need to do this very quickly, as rapidly as we can and in the meantime, the gambling market will make about ₤ 1bn as an outcome of this delay. That's wrong."
Labour has told the BBC that they will put down an amendment to the Finance Bill to attempt and bring in the changes next April.
bet9ja.com
1
Sports Minister Tracey Crouch Resigns over 'Delay' To Betting Crackdown
christophermcw edited this page 2025-01-17 15:11:31 +08:00