Did you know that WWE betting is not legal? At least, it isn’t in US territory. This is rather peculiar due to the following this sport has on that territory: State gambling regulators have all banned betting on the WWE and other popular wrestling promotions. There is a reason behind that, and in this article, we will dive into this topic to find out more about it and shed some light on the matter.
Why is it illegal?
Wrestling betting would involve wagering on scripted matches instead of genuinely contested fights, such as what betting on the UFC entails. The main idea behind this is that betting on any event that has a fixed or predicted outcome is prohibited. In other words, if you already know how it is going to end, you should not bet on it.
Of course, there are many issues that come from scripted matches. For example, leaked results are not only common in online forums and wrestling publications, but they are also referred to as “dirt sheets” due to their enormous popularity.
The WWE is working to prevent match leaks, but this is still an issue and one of the main reasons behind the illegality of this kind of betting. Many platforms, such as Betway, have a broad range of betting options, and it would be great if wrestling could be implemented, but is there a chance this will happen at all?
Will it ever become legal?
Many sports enthusiasts would be more than happy to be able to bet on this sport; that is not even a question. But is there a chance that wrestling betting might really become legal, at least in US territory? Well, there are some states that seem to be closer to legalizing this practice, and these states are Michigan, Indiana, and Colorado. These states are more keen on legalizing this practice because they are among the few states that have legalized betting on the Academy Awards, which is another fixed-result event, just like WWE.
It appears that WWE has already registered with the Indiana Gaming Commission, which is great. At the same time, it seems that the Colorado Division of Gaming has stated that there is actually no current legislation on legalizing wrestling betting on fixed results. We know that WWE officials and the Michigan Gaming Control Board have held meetings on this topic, but we are not aware of their outcome.
As the WWE was purchased by UFC parent company Endeavour, which is the same multi-billion-dollar media agency that represents the NFL, the NHL, and even OpenBet, this can be considered a rather good sign of wrestling betting being one step closer to being legalized.
At the same time, nothing is set in stone so far; there is a long road ahead, and legislative processes are never as quick as they should be. At this point in time, we might have to wait for wrestling betting to become legal, at least until the end of 2024. After that moment in time, we will likely know more about it and have a more precise time frame.
In Conclusion
For now, all we can do is continue to follow this amazing sport and keep ourselves updated with the latest news on this matter. As we are in the middle of the digital revolution, perhaps the most recent technological advancements could help in the field of regulation and legalization of wrestling betting, but we do not know that yet. Wrestling is a sport that is reaching more and more followers with every passing day. It is a great athletic activity that merges history, showmanship, sports and fighting strategies all in one. No wonder it became as famous as it is today.
The world of betting, on the other hand, is always developing in new directions and ways to improve and create new venues and opportunities for people to predict outcomes in the field of sports. People are able to bet on a huge variety of sports and new activities, and even esports, which were at first not even recognized as a sports-related activity. This is to say that things change and that many people out there are confident in the fact that we will soon be able to bet on wrestling actively and without any legal issues.
Thank you for reading this article and we hope that it helped shed some light on the matter of wrestling betting and its legality. If you are interested in this topic, There are many more online sources that you can consult to gain more knowledge not only on the world of wrestling but also on the world of laws and sports betting. The last topic is quite complex, and to navigate it properly, a good level of knowledge is needed.
