bet9ja.com
sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over 'hold-up' to wagering crackdown
bit.ly
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 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 pushing back the date was "unjustifiable" and it might cost the lives of problem gamblers.
She tweeted: "Politicians come and go however principles remain with us forever."
Prime Minister Theresa May stated she was dissatisfied Ms Crouch had resigned but there had been "no delay in bringing forward this essential measure".
High stakes for fixed-odds wagering devices
' I lost ₤ 250,000 on sports betting devices'
bet9ja.com
sports betting machine stakes to be cut to ₤ 2
The federal government has actually rejected Labour claims that MPs had been led to think the cut would come into 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, execution of these modifications are now being postponed up until October 2019 due to commitments made by others to those with registered interests.
This Twitter post can not be displayed in your internet browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View initial material on Twitter
The BBC is not accountable for the content of external sites.
Skip twitter post by Tracey Crouch
Allow Twitter content?
This post consists of material supplied by Twitter. We request your approval before anything is loaded, as they might be utilizing cookies and other technologies. You might wish to read Twitter's cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To see this material choose 'accept and continue'.
bet9ja.com
Accept and continue
The BBC is not responsible for the material of external websites.
End of twitter post by Tracey Crouch
"From the time of the announcement to lower stakes and its implementation, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these makers.
"In addition, two people will unfortunately take their lives every day due to gambling-related problems and, for that factor as much as any other, I believe this delay is unjustifiable."
She added: "It is a reality of government that ministers should follow 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 praising her on social networks, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby tweeted, external that she was "principled and bold" adding: "May God bless her commitment to doing right."
Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson tweeted, external that she "deserves huge credit not just for her project but for sticking up for her concepts".
Fixed-odds sports betting 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 government.
Currently, people can wager up to ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic gambling establishment games such as live roulette. Anti-gambling advocates say the devices let players lose cash too rapidly, resulting in dependency and social, mental and financial issues.
But bookmakers have actually the cut in stakes might lead to thousands of outlets closing.
In her action to Ms Crouch, the PM stated the federal government had listened to those who wanted the modifications to come into result quicker than April 2020 and "had actually agreed that the modifications ought to be 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 modifications to duty charged on sports betting companies based abroad however running in the UK.
The government says co-ordinating the date of the two changes would mean the federal government would not be struck by a fall in tax profits.
Who is Tracey Crouch?
The 43-year-old MP has 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 competent 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 worked for numerous Tory MPs, consisting of Michael Howard and David Davis before meaning election
She had her first child in 2016 and is believed to have actually 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 industry".
He praised Ms Crouch's "courageous and principled decision" and stated Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "must be thoroughly embarrassed" of prioritising "business interests over victims, revenues over public health and greed over great".
MPs from all sides of the House took part his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said it must be gone over as part of the Finance Bill later this month.
Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill
bit.ly
He informed the BBC: "There are lots of people whose lives have been harmed by this dependency ... We need to do this really rapidly, as quickly as we can and in the meantime, the gambling industry will make about ₤ 1bn as an outcome of this delay. That's wrong."
Labour has actually 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
1
Sports Minister Tracey Crouch Resigns over 'Delay' To Betting Crackdown
lillielizotte6 edited this page 3 weeks ago