WWE has held discussions with state gambling regulators in Colorado and Michigan to legalize betting on scripted match results, sources said.
WWE is currently working with major accounting firm Ernst & Young to ensure scripted match results would not be leaked to the public, and have cited shows like the Oscars as a template to convince regulators gambling on scripted matches is safe, as reported by CNBC. Betting on the Academy Awards is already legal through Fanduel and DraftKings.
“WWE is working with the accounting firm Ernst & Young to secure scripted match results in hopes it will convince regulators there’s no chance of results leaking to the public,” per CNBC’s Alex Sherman.
If allowed, this could alter the WWE’s creative process, requiring “scripted results of matches to be locked in months ahead of time. It is also reported that WWE chiefs would also withhold results from the wrestlers themselves until hours before the show to avoid leaks.