sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over 'hold-up' to wagering crackdown
1 November 2018
sports betting minister Tracey Crouch has actually resigned over "delays" 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.
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Ms Crouch stated pressing back the date was "unjustifiable" and it might cost the lives of issue bettors.
She tweeted: "Politicians reoccur but concepts stay with us permanently."
Prime Minister Theresa May said she was disappointed Ms Crouch had actually resigned however there had been "no delay in advancing this important measure".
High stakes for fixed-odds sports betting devices
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The government has actually denied Labour declares 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 recommended the cut had actually been planned to be introduced in April 2020.
But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch stated: "Unfortunately, application of these modifications are now being postponed till 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 application, 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 issues and, for that reason as much as any other, I believe this hold-up is unjustifiable."
She added: "It is a fact of federal government that ministers should comply with cumulative responsibility and can not disagree with policy, let alone when it is policy made versus your dreams relating to your own portfolio."
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'God bless'
Among those praising her on social media, 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 "should have big credit not just for her campaign but for sticking up for her principles".
Fixed-odds sports betting terminals produce ₤ 1.8 bn in revenue a year for the wagering market, 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 live roulette. Anti-gambling advocates state the devices let players lose cash too quickly, resulting in dependency and social, mental and financial issues.
But bookmakers have actually alerted the cut in stakes could result in thousands of outlets closing.
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In her reaction to Ms Crouch, the PM said the federal government had listened to those who desired the changes to come into result earlier than April 2020 and "had concurred that the changes must remain in place 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 says co-ordinating the date of the two changes would imply the government would not be hit by a fall in tax income.
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 understood for her opposition to fox searching and her love of football - she is a competent FA coach
Grade school educated at Folkestone School for Girls, she went on to get a degree in law and politics from Hull University
She had worked for different Tory MPs, including Michael Howard and David Davis before standing for election
She had her first kid in 2016 and is believed to have actually been the first Tory minister to take maternity leave
But in the Commons on Thursday, leader Tom Watson accused the government of "capitulating to the gaming industry".
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He applauded Ms Crouch's "courageous and principled decision" and said Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "need to be completely ashamed" of prioritising "corporate interests over victims, earnings over public health and greed over great".
MPs from all sides of your house signed up with in his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said it must 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 individuals whose lives have actually been harmed by this dependency ... We need to do this really rapidly, as rapidly as we can and in the meantime, the gambling market will make about ₤ 1bn as a result of this hold-up. That's wrong."
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.
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Sports Minister Tracey Crouch Resigns over 'Delay' To Betting Crackdown
antondunshea7 edited this page 2024-12-31 01:59:07 +00:00