Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson performing against Seth “Freakin” Rollins at WrestleMania 40 in Philadelphia. Really, could there be a better made-for-Vegas spectacle even though you can’t bet on professional wrestling? (Image: Elizabeth Robertson/Associated Press/Alamy)

For months, rumors have placed Minneapolis as the most likely location for WrestleMania 41, which will take place in April 2025. But recent comments have pointed to a potential Las Vegas location for the massive weekend of wrestling shows, and that could mean big business for casinos in the city.

On Monday, the WWE announced they are joining forces with UFC to hold the first ever WWE event in Las Vegas. The NXT Battleground will be hosted at the UFC APEX in Las Vegas on Sunday, June 9. While this event pales by comparison in scope, could it be a trial run for something bigger in the future?

Casinos on and around the Las Vegas Strip have always benefited from major events coming to the city, and there are few events that move the needle more than WrestleMania.

Minnesota Was Early Favorite to Land WrestleMania 41

Last month, Minnesota Sports and Events (MNSE) told the Minneapolis Star Tribune that it had submitted a bid to host the 2025 edition of WrestleMania at US Bank Stadium, home of the Minnesota Vikings. While the arena had hosted major events such as the 2019 Men’s Final Four, the entire state of Minnesota has never hosted WrestleMania, despite having a deep history in the business of professional wrestling. 

“We are hopeful, and I hope we get it,” MNSE president and CEO Wendy Blackshaw told the Star Tribune last month. “It would be amazing.”

According to Blackshaw, WrestleMania comes close to the Super Bowl in terms of local economic impact. With the WWE expanding its flagship show to a two-night extravaganza, and traditionally holding its next Monday Night RAW show on the following evening, tens of thousands of rapid fans end up spending as many as three nights in the host city, pumping money into hotels, restaurants, and other businesses. Recent hosts Los Angeles and Dallas each claimed over $200 million in economic benefits, Blackshaw said.

But two recent sets of comments have cast doubt on Minnesota’s hopes of hosting WrestleMania, and instead have fans pointing to Las Vegas as a potential 2025 host. 

Undertaker Appears to Spoil WrestleMania Location

First, WWE President Nick Khan suggested some changes to WrestleMania at the Sports Business Journal’s World Congress of Sports conference last week. Khan suggested that the show wouldn’t be held in an outdoor stadium on the east coast again, and that it wouldn’t go head-to-head on the same weekend as the Final Four of the NCAA’s basketball tournaments. It was also noted that Las Vegas was one of the cities under consideration for hosting.

Secondly, there were comments made by former WWE champion the Undertaker (Mark Calaway) on the March 25 episode of his Six Feet Under podcast. Speaking with co-host Matthew Lyda, Calaway was answering Lyda’s question about when the show might go back to Orlando.

“I’ve got no idea,” Calaway said. “It’s in Vegas next year. I think I’ve heard that.”

That’s hardly a definitive statement, as Calaway may have been reacting to rumors or speculation himself. The WWE has repeatedly said that no WrestleMania location is final until it makes an official announcement. 

But the comments regained traction this weekend as wrestling fans made the connection between Calaway’s statement, Khan’s comments, and the unusual decision not to announce WrestleMania 41’s location during this year’s event despite a handful Minnesota officials making public comments about the show coming to their state in recent months.

What Happens in Vegas … 

If Las Vegas does snag WrestleMania 41, it could be a massive windfall for the city’s resorts. Along with the hotel and restaurant spend, Las Vegas Strip casinos would almost certainly see a major uptick in visitors and both gaming and non-gaming revenue.

That’s what Las Vegas saw during the 2024 Super Bowl in February. Visitation was up 9.5 percent at Strip resorts for the month, fueled by the Super Bowl and the Chinese New Year. That helped casinos on the Strip bring in $800.7 million in gaming revenue, part of the best February ever for Nevada’s gaming industry.

One difference from the Super Bowl: You won’t be able to bet on it. Currently no regulated American state offers betting on scripted events such as Wrestlemania. However, the WWE has started talking with regulators in different states to create a way to legitimize betting on professional wrestling.  

So far seven states have, for example, allowed betting on events with known outcomes such as the Academy Awards. But Nevada is not one of them.