Amidst news of the company looking to sell ahead of renegotiations of the media rights to its Raw and Smackdown programs, World Wrestling Entertainment is now putting effort into legalizing betting on “high-profile matches.” According to reports, the WWE is currently working in close partnership with Ernst & Young to negotiate with the state gambling regulators in Colorado and Michigan.
The WWE is now trying to prove to regulators that the results of its matches will not be revealed to the public with the help of Ernst & Young, the accounting firm that helps ensure the secrecy of winners for the Academy Awards and Emmys. WWE executives note that the results of the high-profile scripted matches are finalized months in advance and wrestlers are only told the results moments before stepping into the ring. Reported plans include setting the main event of WrestleMania immediately after the outcome of the Royal Rumble in January so that bets can be made well before the April major event.
The exploration of legal betting appears to be part of disgraced WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon‘s plan to develop “strategic alternatives” to “fully capitalize on the significant value of our intellectual property.”
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