WWE are attempting to make it easier to gamble on the outcomes of matches.
According to a recent CNBC story, WWE is in discussions with gaming regulators in Colorado and Michigan. This is in regard to potentially permitting wagering on the results of their scripted matches.
In an effort to persuade regulators that there is no risk of scripted match results leaking to the public, WWE has hired the accounting firm Ernst & Young (also known as EY) to protect scripted match results. In the past, EY and other accounting firms have collaborated with award ceremonies, such as the Emmys and the Academy Awards, to keep results confidential.
According to reports, WWE executives used betting on the Academy Awards as a model to persuade authorities that wagering on scripted fights is secure. Several sports betting apps, like market leaders FanDuel and DraftKings, which have previously partnered with WWE, make it legal and possible to wager on the Academy Awards.
The way that storylines are developed and how particular WWE matches are produced would alter if betting was permitted. WWE executives have suggested that scripted outcomes of matches be locked in months in advance as part of discussions about how gambling on pro wrestling may operate. Prior to the start of a match, the wrestlers themselves would not be aware of their standing.
It was also mentioned that if WWE is successful in its campaign to legalize wagering on match outcomes, it might pave the way for other closely guarded, top-secret scripted events to follow, such as future character deaths in TV shows.
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