WWE Reportedly in Talks to Legalize Gambling on 'High-Profile' Matches in CO, MI

WWE is reportedly in discussions with the states of Colorado and Michigan to legalize gambling on certain matches.

Alex Sherman of CNBC reported WWE is working with the accounting firm Ernst & Young to put procedures into place to ensure match results would not leak to the public. Ernst & Young has regularly worked with the Emmys in the past to keep results secret ahead of the awards shows.

WWE matches have fixed results, so those behind the scenes writing the show and the wrestlers would have to know the results beforehand. There is an inherent risk of those results leaking as a result, and WWE says it plans on withholding match results from wrestlers until hours before a show to ensure results won't get leaked.

Overseas sportsbooks have long posted WWE odds but do so at numbers heavily tilted to favor the books and limit the amount bettors can wager on matches.

Regulations are significantly looser in some countries outside the United States, allowing for gambling on an array of fictionalized events. Sports gambling itself is still not legal across all 50 states despite the landmark 2018 Supreme Court case that allowed states outside Nevada to approve sportsbooks.

WWE and DraftKings currently have a partnership that allows fans to enter free pools where prize money is given out to the winners. Those pools are allowed because those entering are not risking any of their money.

If WWE is successful in making headway into sportsbooks, it could open up a number of non-traditional gambling avenues. It's possible that alone will make some states hesitant for approval, as regulatory issues could crop up that do not exist within unfixed sporting events.

Gambling could also wind up impacting how WWE makes booking decisions, which is another can of worms entirely.

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