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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 actually resigned over "hold-ups" to a crackdown on optimal stakes for fixed-odds wagering 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 said pushing back the date was "unjustifiable" and it could cost the lives of problem gamblers.

She tweeted: "Politicians come and go but concepts stick with us forever."

Prime Minister Theresa May said she was disappointed Ms Crouch had resigned however there had been "no delay in advancing this crucial step".

High stakes for devices

' I lost ₤ 250,000 on wagering makers'
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sports betting maker stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The government has denied Labour claims 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 recommended the cut had actually been planned to be introduced in April 2020.
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But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch said: "Unfortunately, implementation of these changes are now being delayed until October 2019 due to dedications made by others to those with registered interests.

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End of twitter post by Tracey Crouch

"From the time of the statement to lower stakes and its application, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these machines.

"In addition, 2 people 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 fact of federal government that ministers should abide by collective 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 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 "should have big credit not just for her project however for sticking up for her principles".

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

Currently, people can bet approximately ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic casino video games such as live roulette. Anti-gambling campaigners say the machines let gamers lose money too quickly, leading to addiction and social, psychological and financial problems.

But bookies have actually cautioned the cut in stakes might lead to countless outlets closing.

In her action to Ms Crouch, the PM stated the federal government had actually listened to those who desired the changes to come into result quicker than April 2020 and "had actually concurred that the changes should remain in location within the year - by October 2019".

In his Budget on Monday, the chancellor stated the change to fixed-odds stakes would enter into force next October at the exact same time as changes to task charged on sports betting firms based abroad but running in the UK.

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

Who is Tracey Crouch?

The 43-year-old MP has represented Chatham and Aylesford, in Kent, since 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

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

She had her 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 federal government of "capitulating to the gaming market".

He applauded Ms Crouch's "bold and principled choice" and said Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "ought to be completely ashamed" of prioritising "corporate interests over victims, profits over public health and greed over excellent".

MPs from all sides of your home participated in his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith stated it ought to be gone over as part of the Finance Bill later this month.

Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill
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He informed the BBC: "There are a lot of people whose lives have been damaged by this dependency ... We need to do this really quickly, as quickly as we can and in the meantime, the sports betting industry will make about ₤ 1bn as a result of this hold-up. That's not right."

Labour has actually told the BBC that they will put down a modification to the Finance Bill to attempt and bring in the modifications next April.
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