WWE In Talks With State Gambling Regulators To Legalize Betting On Matches

WWE is reportedly in talks with gambling regulators in two states in order to legalize betting on match results. CNBC reports that the company is working with Ernst & Young, an accounting firm that have worked with the Emmy and the Oscars, in order to secure match results in order to try and convince regulators that there’s no chance results will leak to the public, which would make undercut betting possibilities.

WWE executives are using the Oscars as a template in terms of betting in order to convince regulators in Colorado and Michigan that betting on scripted match results is safe. Betting on the Oscars is legal, though many states do not allow it.

Obviously, the key difference between the two is that while matches have scripted results, the Oscars do not and companies would have to factor that in as they consider whether to allow gambling on matches. Discussions have yet to take place with betting firms at this time.

The potential opening of gambling on matches has greater ramifications, as it could open the possibility of betting on other scripted results like character deaths in TV shows and the like. The opening of such could also have huge ramifications on how WWE handles storylines, with WWE executives reportedly posing the notion that scripted results of matches be decided and locked in months ahead of time and the talent wouldn;t know whether they were winning or losing until just before the match takes place.