sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over 'hold-up' to sports betting crackdown
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1 November 2018
sports betting minister Tracey Crouch has actually resigned over "hold-ups" to a crackdown on optimal stakes for fixed-odds wagering devices.
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 might cost the lives of problem bettors.
She tweeted: "Politicians reoccur but principles remain with us forever."
Prime Minister Theresa May said she was disappointed Ms Crouch had resigned however there had been "no hold-up in advancing this essential procedure".
High stakes for fixed-odds wagering machines
' I lost ₤ 250,000 on wagering devices'
sports betting device stakes to be cut to ₤ 2
The government has rejected Labour claims that MPs had been led to believe the cut would come into force at the start of the next tax year, in April 2019. They recommended the cut had been intended to be introduced in April 2020.
But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch stated: "Unfortunately, implementation of these changes are now being delayed till October 2019 due to commitments 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 reduce stakes and its application, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these devices.
"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 truth of government that ministers need to adhere to cumulative responsibility and can not disagree with policy, let alone when it is policy made versus your dreams 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 commitment to doing right."
Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson tweeted, external that she "is worthy of big credit not just for her project but for sticking up for her principles".
Fixed-odds sports betting terminals create ₤ 1.8 bn in revenue a year for the sports betting industry, according to the Gambling Commission, external, and taxes of ₤ 400m for the government.
Currently, people can bet approximately ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic gambling establishment video games such as live roulette. Anti-gambling campaigners state the machines let players lose money too quickly, leading to dependency and social, psychological and financial issues.
But bookmakers have actually warned the cut in stakes might result in countless outlets closing.
In her reaction to Ms Crouch, the PM stated the federal government had actually listened to those who wanted the modifications to come into impact faster than April 2020 and "had concurred that the changes must be in place within the year - by October 2019".
In his Budget on Monday, the chancellor said the change to fixed-odds stakes would enter into force next October at the exact same time as modifications to responsibility charged on gambling abroad however running in the UK.
The federal government says co-ordinating the date of the two modifications would imply the government would not be hit by a fall in tax income.
Who is Tracey Crouch?
The 43-year-old MP has represented Chatham and Aylesford, in Kent, considering that 2010
She was promoted to the front bench as sports betting minister in 2015
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She is understood for her opposition to fox hunting and her love of football - she is a qualified FA coach
Grade 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 various Tory MPs, including Michael Howard and David Davis before standing for election
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She had her first kid in 2016 and is believed to have actually been the very 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 sports betting market".
He praised Ms Crouch's "brave and principled choice" and stated Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "need to be thoroughly ashamed" of prioritising "business interests over victims, profits over public health and greed over great".
MPs from all sides of your house took part his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said it ought to be talked about as part of the Finance Bill later this month.
Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill
He informed the BBC: "There are plenty of individuals whose lives have been harmed by this addiction ... We need to do this really quickly, as rapidly as we can and in the meantime, the sports betting industry will make about ₤ 1bn as an outcome of this hold-up. That's not ideal."
Labour has actually told the BBC that they will put down a modification to the Finance Bill to attempt and bring in the changes next April.
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Sports Minister Tracey Crouch Resigns over 'Hold-up' To Betting Crackdown
earlemullan132 edited this page 2025-01-02 11:31:33 +08:00