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sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over 'delay' to sports betting crackdown
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1 November 2018
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sports betting minister Tracey Crouch has resigned over "hold-ups" 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 enter force in October 2019.

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

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

Prime Minister Theresa May stated she was dissatisfied Ms Crouch had resigned however there had been "no hold-up in bringing forward this important procedure".

High stakes for fixed-odds wagering machines

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

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 been meant to be presented in April 2020.

But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch said: "Unfortunately, implementation of these changes are now being delayed up 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 announcement to minimize stakes and its application, 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 problems and, for that reason as much as any other, I think this hold-up is unjustifiable."

She included: "It is a reality of government that ministers need to adhere to collective responsibility and can not disagree with policy, not to mention when it is policy made against your dreams associating with 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 courageous" including: "May God bless her dedication to doing right."

Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson tweeted, external that she "is worthy of big credit not simply for her project however 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 federal government.

Currently, people can bet approximately ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic casino video games such as live roulette. Anti-gambling advocates state the machines let players lose cash too quickly, causing dependency and social, psychological and monetary issues.

But bookies have alerted the cut in stakes might cause thousands of outlets closing.

In her response to Ms Crouch, the PM said the federal government had listened to those who desired the to come into result quicker than April 2020 and "had agreed that the changes ought to be in location within the year - by October 2019".

In his Budget on Monday, the chancellor said the change to fixed-odds stakes would enter into force next October at the very same time as modifications to duty charged on gaming firms based abroad but running in the UK.

The federal government states co-ordinating the date of the two changes would indicate the government would not be struck 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 understood 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 different 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 accused the government of "capitulating to the gambling market".

He praised Ms Crouch's "bold and principled choice" and stated Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "ought to be completely ashamed" of prioritising "business interests over victims, revenues over public health and greed over great".

MPs from all sides of your house participated his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith stated it should be discussed as part of the Finance Bill later this month.

Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill

He informed the BBC: "There are plenty of individuals whose lives have actually been harmed by this addiction ... We need to do this very quickly, as quickly as we can and in the meantime, the gambling industry will make about ₤ 1bn as a result 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 generate the changes next April.