bet9ja.com
sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over 'hold-up' to wagering crackdown
bet9ja.com
1 November 2018
bet9ja.com
sports betting minister Tracey Crouch has resigned over "delays" 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 come into force in October 2019.

Ms Crouch stated pushing back the date was "unjustifiable" and it might cost the lives of problem gamblers.

She tweeted: "Politicians come and go however concepts stay with us permanently."

Prime Minister Theresa May said she was disappointed Ms Crouch had resigned however there had been "no hold-up in advancing this essential measure".

High stakes for fixed-odds sports betting devices

' I lost ₤ 250,000 on wagering machines'

sports betting maker stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The government has denied Labour declares that MPs had actually been led to think the cut would enter into force at the start of the next tax year, in April 2019. They suggested the cut had actually been meant to be presented in April 2020.

But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch stated: "Unfortunately, implementation of these changes are now being postponed 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 attempt a different browser.View original material on Twitter The BBC is not responsible for the material of external websites.

Skip twitter post by Tracey Crouch

Allow Twitter content?

This short article includes content offered by Twitter. We request your permission before anything is packed, as they might be using cookies and other technologies. You may wish to check out Twitter's cookie policy, external and 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 minimize stakes and its application, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these devices.

"In addition, 2 individuals will unfortunately take their lives every day due to gambling-related problems and, for that reason as much as any other, I think this delay is unjustifiable."
bet9ja.com
She added: "It is a fact of federal government that ministers must abide by cumulative obligation and can not disagree with policy, not to mention when it is policy made against your desires 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" adding: "May God bless her dedication to doing right."

Former foreign secretary Boris tweeted, external that she "should have huge credit not simply for her project but for sticking up for her principles".

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

Currently, people can wager approximately ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic casino video games such as live roulette. Anti-gambling campaigners state the devices let players lose cash too quickly, leading to dependency and social, mental and financial issues.

But bookmakers have warned the cut in stakes might cause thousands of outlets closing.

In her reaction to Ms Crouch, the PM stated the government had actually listened to those who desired the modifications to come into impact earlier than April 2020 and "had agreed that the changes must remain in location within the year - by October 2019".

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

The government says co-ordinating the date of the two changes would imply the federal government would not be hit by a fall in tax earnings.

Who is Tracey Crouch?

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

Grammar school educated at Folkestone School for Girls, she went on to get a degree in law and politics from Hull University

She had actually worked for different Tory MPs, including Michael Howard and David Davis before meaning election
bit.ly
She had her very first kid 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 applauded Ms Crouch's "bold and principled decision" and said Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "ought to be thoroughly ashamed" of prioritising "corporate interests over victims, profits over public health and greed over excellent".

MPs from all sides of the 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
bit.ly
He informed the BBC: "There are a lot of people whose lives have been damaged by this addiction ... We require to do this extremely 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 actually informed the BBC that they will put down a modification to the Finance Bill to attempt and bring in the changes next April.
bet9ja.com