Sports Minister Tracey Crouch Resigns Over Hold-up To Betting Crackdown
bet9ja.com
sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over 'hold-up' to sports betting crackdown
1 November 2018
bit.ly
sports betting minister Tracey Crouch has 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 come into force in October 2019.
Ms Crouch stated pressing back the date was "unjustifiable" and it could cost the lives of problem bettors.
She tweeted: "Politicians reoccur but concepts stick 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 step".
High stakes for fixed-odds wagering machines
' I lost ₤ 250,000 on wagering machines'
sports betting machine stakes to be cut to ₤ 2
The government has actually rejected Labour that MPs had been led to believe the cut would enter into force at the start of the next tax year, in April 2019. They recommended the cut had been planned to be introduced in April 2020.
But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch said: "Unfortunately, implementation of these modifications are now being delayed until October 2019 due to commitments made by others to those with registered interests.
This Twitter post can not be shown in your web browser. Please enable Javascript or attempt a various browser.View original material on Twitter
The BBC is not responsible for the material of external sites.
Skip twitter post by Tracey Crouch
Allow Twitter material?
This short article contains material supplied by Twitter. We request your authorization before anything is packed, as they may be utilizing cookies and other innovations. You might want to check out Twitter's cookie policy, external and personal privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content pick 'accept and continue'.
Accept and continue
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external websites.
End of twitter post by Tracey Crouch
"From the time of the announcement to lower stakes and its execution, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these makers.
"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 delay is unjustifiable."
She added: "It is a truth of government that ministers need to comply with collective obligation and can not disagree with policy, let alone when it is policy made against your desires 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 brave" including: "May God bless her dedication to doing right."
Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson tweeted, external that she "is worthy of huge credit not just for her campaign but for sticking up for her principles".
Fixed-odds wagering terminals create ₤ 1.8 bn in revenue a year for the sports betting 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 gambling establishment video games such as roulette. Anti-gambling campaigners state the devices let gamers lose cash too rapidly, causing dependency and social, mental and monetary issues.
But bookmakers have 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 effect earlier than April 2020 and "had concurred that the changes need to be in place within the year - by October 2019".
In his Budget on Monday, the chancellor stated the change to fixed-odds stakes would enter force next October at the same time as changes to responsibility charged on gambling companies based abroad however operating in the UK.
The federal government states co-ordinating the date of the 2 modifications would suggest the federal government would not be struck by a fall in tax income.
Who is Tracey Crouch?
The 43-year-old MP has actually represented Chatham and Aylesford, in Kent, considering that 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 informed 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, consisting of Michael Howard and David Davis before meaning election
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 sports betting market".
He praised Ms Crouch's "bold and principled choice" and stated Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "need to be completely embarrassed" of prioritising "business interests over victims, earnings over public health and greed over great".
MPs from all sides of the House took part his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith stated it must be gone over as part of the Finance Bill later on this month.
Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill
He informed the BBC: "There are lots of people whose lives have actually been harmed by this addiction ... We need to do this very rapidly, as quickly as we can and in the meantime, the gambling market will make about ₤ 1bn as an outcome of this hold-up. That's not best."
Labour has informed the BBC that they will put down an amendment to the Finance Bill to attempt and generate the changes next April.
bet9ja.com