Iain Duncan Smith: No Reason To Delay Fixed-Odds Betting Crackdown

3 November 2018, 08:45

Tory MP Iain Duncan Smith condemns the government for delaying changes to the maximum stake on fixed-odds betting terminals.

Philip Hammond announced that the plan to cut the maximum stake for fixed-odds betting terminals (FOTB) from £100 to £2 will come into force in October 2019.

But sports minister Tracey Crouch resigned after pushing for the reduction to come into force earlier.

In her resignation letter, Tracey Crouch said that pushing back the date to cut the FOTB maximum stake to £2 was "unjustifiable".

"Unfortunately, implementation of these changes are now being delayed until October 2019 due to commitments made by others to those with registered interests," she said.

She tweeted: "Politicians come and go but principles stay with us forever."

Prime Minister Theresa May said that she was disappointed by the resignation, and that there was "no delay in bringing forward this important measure".

But former Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith said there was an expectation that the cut would be introduced by April or May 2019.

Speaking to Andrew Castle, he said: "The problem has been that the industry said they need longer."

"We've always assumed the delay was to April or May next year, and now we hear that it's delayed until October."