WWE is in talks with state gambling regulators in Colorado and Michigan to legalize betting in scripted matches.
According to sources, WWE is working with accounting firm EY to secure scripted match results in hopes that it will convince regulators that match results would not be leaked to the public ahead of time.
Accounting firms EY and PwC have worked with award shows like the Academy Awards and the Emmys to keep results private.
- The public can legally place bets on the Academy Awards through some sports betting applications like FanDuel and DraftKings.
- WWE executives have pointed to the Academy Awards as a template to convince regulators gambling on scripted matches is safe.
- If the WWE is allowed to place bets on scripted matches, it could open the door for betting on other scripted events, like the death of a character in a TV series.
- If regulators allow gambling for scripted events, it would still be up to betting companies to decide if they would place odds on the circumstances.
