1 Sports Minister Tracey Crouch Resigns over 'Hold up' To Betting Crackdown
luciekidman42 edited this page 3 weeks ago

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 maximum stakes for fixed-odds sports betting machines.

Chancellor Philip Hammond said in Monday's Budget that the cut in stakes from ₤ 100 to ₤ 2 would enter into 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 reoccur but concepts stay with us permanently."

Prime Minister Theresa May stated she was disappointed Ms Crouch had resigned however there had been "no delay in bringing forward this essential step".

High stakes for fixed-odds wagering makers

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

sports betting maker stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The federal government has actually rejected Labour declares that MPs had actually been led to think the cut would enter force at the start of the next tax year, in April 2019. They recommended the cut had been intended to be introduced in April 2020.

But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch stated: "Unfortunately, implementation of these changes are now being postponed till October 2019 due to commitments made by others to those with signed up interests.
bet9ja.com
This Twitter post can not be shown in your internet browser. Please enable Javascript or try a various browser.View original content on Twitter The BBC is not responsible for the material of external sites.

Skip twitter post by Tracey Crouch

Allow Twitter content?

This post contains content supplied by Twitter. We request your approval before anything is packed, as they might be utilizing cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter's cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To see this content select 'accept and continue'.

Accept and continue

The BBC is not accountable for the material of external websites.

End of twitter post by Tracey Crouch

"From the time of the statement to reduce stakes and its implementation, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these makers.

"In addition, two people will tragically take their lives every day due to gambling-related issues and, because of that as much as any other, I believe this delay is unjustifiable."

She added: "It is a fact of federal government that ministers should adhere to cumulative duty and can not disagree with policy, let alone when it is policy made against your dreams relating 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 courageous" including: "May God bless her commitment to doing right."

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

Fixed-odds wagering terminals generate ₤ 1.8 bn in earnings 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 as much as ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic casino games such as live roulette. Anti-gambling campaigners say the machines let gamers lose cash too rapidly, leading to addiction and social, mental and monetary problems.

But bookies have actually alerted the cut in stakes might cause countless outlets closing.

In her reaction to Ms Crouch, the PM said the government had actually listened to those who wanted the changes to come into effect quicker than April 2020 and "had concurred that the modifications should be in location within the year - by October 2019".
bet9ja.com
In his Budget on Monday, the chancellor said the modification to fixed-odds stakes would enter into force next October at the same time as changes to duty charged on sports betting firms based abroad however operating in the UK.

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

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 understood for her opposition to fox hunting and her love of football - she is a competent 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 actually worked for various Tory MPs, consisting of Michael Howard and David Davis before standing for 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 government of "capitulating to the gambling market".

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

MPs from all sides of the House took part his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith stated it needs to be discussed as part of the Finance Bill later on this month.

Week ahead in Parliament: The Bill

He told the BBC: "There are a lot of people whose lives have actually been harmed by this addiction ... We need to do this extremely quickly, as rapidly as we can and in the meantime, the gaming industry will make about ₤ 1bn as a result of this delay. That's not ideal."

Labour has told the BBC that they will put down a modification to the Finance Bill to try and bring in the changes next April.
bit.ly