WWE in talks to legalize gambling on wrestling in United States

[Chris]

WWE is hoping it will soon be legal in some states for fans to bet on its wrestling matches.

An article released by CNBC on Wednesday states that WWE has had talks with gambling regulators in Colorado and Michigan to legalize betting on "high-profile matches."

WWE has hired the accounting firm, Ernest & Young, in order to secure match results and demonstrate to regulators that there's no chance of them being leaked to the public. The firm has previously worked with The Emmys and Academy Awards to keep award-winner results from leaking as well.

WWE executives are reportedly citing awards-show betting as an example of how gambling on pre-determined contests can be done safely. Both Colorado and Michigan allow betting on The Academy Awards and similar events, two of five states to do so. Louisiana, New Jersey, and Indiana also allow gambling on awards shows.

WWE is reportedly prepared to go to great lengths to secure match results if it allows for legalized gambling on its content to occur. Executives from the company have proposed the idea that match results would be "locked in" months ahead of time and the wrestlers involved would only be informed shortly before the match takes place.

https://www.f4wonline.com/news/wwe/wwe-in-talks-with-colorado-michigan-over-legalized-betting

 

[Chris]

Match results locked in months ahead of time being audited by a big 4 accounting firm, this is going to be HILARUOUS

 

[Dale]

Doesn't sound like a disaster waiting to happen.

Though we can already bet on events here anyway so

 

[Buffy]

Looks like I am going to be making a lot more money thanks to WWE.

 

[Chris]

When dirt sheets start having betting podcasts like ESPN does now lol

 

[John McHenry]

Somebody going to get Nancy Kerrigan'd at the airport Wrestlemania week.

 

[Canadian Dragon]

When dirt sheets start having betting podcasts like ESPN does now lol

when a wrestler gets suspended for betting on his opponent and doesn't kick out. and when it becomes an angle

 

[Chris]

I'm still not over opening up your long term booking to audits for gambling transparency lmao

 

[Chris]

 

[Cwalker]

Yeah how’s this gonna work??

But someone is gonna win big when Heath Slater returns at the Royal Rumble and is the final member of 3MB to win the WWE CHAMPIONSHIP

 

[Rosie]

This actually is potentially problematic considering wrestling's predetermined nature? What would prevent someone from inside WWE's creative process from say, telling a friend all the results, especially if there is one which changes last minute against expectations, they do a big bet, and win big?

I'm also tired as heck seeing betting commercials for the NHL, so this would add to that annoyance.

 

[Chris]

This actually is potentially problematic considering wrestling's predetermined nature? What would prevent someone from inside WWE's creative process from say, telling a friend all the results, especially if there is one which changes last minute against expectations, they do a big bet, and win big?

I'm also tired as heck seeing betting commercials for the NHL, so this would add to that annoyance.

The accounting firm being involved in auditing is what they're pushing would prevent most of those issues, comparing it to being able to bet on award show winners is actually pretty smart bc those results are determined ahead of time as well but there's a huge difference between keeping votes a secret and both keeping a winner secret AND not changing it on a whim for however long they have to be locked in with it lol

 

[Chris]

The gambling companies are not dummies tho, they came down hard on a UFC trainer recently for suspected insider info being leaked for a random fight night card bc bets that came in the last day or two were crazy suspicious. I actually don't think that stuff will he an issue here, just the whole "locking in results in advance" lol like no way they do that for full PLE cards, the title match sure that could probably be worked out. But I doubt we'll see betting available for the entire card like you do in the UK

 

[Chris]

 

[The Gipper]

Someone explain to me the difference between this and what Draft Kings does because I assumed it was the same thing pretty much.