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sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over 'delay' to wagering crackdown
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1 November 2018
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sports betting minister Tracey Crouch has resigned over "delays" to a crackdown on optimal stakes for fixed-odds sports betting makers.

Chancellor Philip Hammond said in Monday's Budget that the cut in stakes from ₤ 100 to ₤ 2 would come into force in October 2019.

Ms Crouch said pressing back the date was "unjustifiable" and it might cost the lives of issue gamblers.

She tweeted: "Politicians reoccur but principles stick with us forever."

Prime Minister Theresa May said she was disappointed Ms Crouch had actually resigned but there had actually been "no hold-up in bringing forward this important measure".

High stakes for fixed-odds sports betting makers

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

sports betting maker stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The federal government has rejected Labour claims that MPs had 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 planned to be presented in April 2020.

But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch said: "Unfortunately, implementation of these changes are now being postponed up until October 2019 due to commitments made by others to those with registered interests.

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End of twitter post by Tracey Crouch

"From the time of the announcement to decrease stakes and its execution, 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 problems and, because of that as much as any other, I believe this hold-up is unjustifiable."

She added: "It is a truth of government that ministers must abide by collective obligation and can not disagree with policy, not to mention when it is policy made versus your dreams associating with your own portfolio."

'God bless'

Among those applauding her on social media, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby tweeted, external that she was "principled and courageous" adding: "May God bless her dedication to doing right."

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

Fixed-odds wagering terminals generate ₤ 1.8 bn in earnings a year for the wagering industry, according to the Gambling Commission, external, and taxes of ₤ 400m for the federal government.
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Currently, individuals can wager approximately ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic casino games such as live roulette. Anti-gambling campaigners say the makers let gamers lose cash too rapidly, leading to addiction 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 said the federal government had actually listened to those who wanted the modifications to come into impact sooner than April 2020 and "had concurred that the modifications must 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 force next October at the same time as modifications to task charged on gambling companies based abroad but running in the UK.

The federal government states co-ordinating the date of the two modifications would indicate the government would not be hit by a fall in tax profits.

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 hunting 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 various Tory MPs, including Michael Howard and David Davis before meaning election

She had her very first child in 2016 and is thought 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 government of "capitulating to the gaming industry".

He applauded Ms "courageous and principled choice" and said Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "should be thoroughly embarrassed" of prioritising "corporate interests over victims, profits over public health and greed over great".

MPs from all sides of the House signed up with in his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith stated it must be talked about as part of the Finance Bill later this month.

Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill
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He told the BBC: "There are lots of individuals whose lives have been damaged by this dependency ... We require to do this very rapidly, as rapidly as we can and in the meantime, the sports betting industry will make about ₤ 1bn as an outcome of this delay. That's wrong."

Labour has actually informed the BBC that they will put down an amendment to the Finance Bill to attempt and bring in the modifications next April.
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