WWE is interested in working with gambling regulators to allow for legalized betting on matches, according to a report.
Alex Sherman of CNBC states that the promotion has had talks with regulators in the states of Colorado and Michigan regarding legalized betting on “high-profile matches”.
The report adds that WWE is with EY (Ernst & Young) that would secure the secrecy of match results to show the regulators that betting would not be tainted by results leaking before the match.
From CNBC:
If WWE succeeds in its bid to legalize gambling on matches, it could open the door for legalized betting on other guarded, secret scripted events, such as future character deaths in TV series.
Allowing gambling on certain WWE matches would alter how matches are produced – and how storylines are created. In discussions about how gambling on wrestling could work, WWE executives have proposed that scripted results of matches be locked in months ahead of time, according to people familiar with the matter. The wrestlers themselves wouldn’t know whether they were winning or losing until shortly before a match takes place, said the people.
In 2021, WWE entered into an agreement with DraftKings as its official gaming partner that allows for free-to-play pools with DraftKings.
CNBC reached out to representatives of WWE, EY, and gaming regulators in Michigan and Colorado but did not receive a response from those entities.
