World Wrestling Entertainment is allegedly in talks to make betting on high-profile WWE matches legal as long as the scripted results are not leaked, according to a report published Wednesday.
WWE is working with the accounting firm Ernst & Young to obtain the scripted match results. The idea is to convince gambling regulators in Michigan and Colorado that there is no way for the results to be leaked, according to CNBC.
Ernst & Young has worked with award shows in the past, including the Academy Awards, to keep the results under wraps.
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If the proposal to legalize betting on WWE matches is approved, it could alter how the matches are scripted. Two unnamed sources familiar with the discussions claimed that one proposal from the company’s executives includes locking in the results of key matches months in advance.
Betting on those key matches would be open until a few hours before the match begins. Executives also pitched keeping the results a secret from the wrestlers until a few hours before their match, the sources said.
If approved, it could also open the door for betting on other secretly scripted television shows and story arcs.
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Oscar results are already legal to bet on, but most states do not allow it. Unlike WWE matches, the winners of the Oscars are not scripted.
The news comes as the WWE undergoes a sale process. Former WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon stepped down last July after facing sexual misconduct allegations, but he has since returned as chairman to oversee the sale. The company’s board is expected to meet with potential buyers as early as next month.
