Crypto.com’s Sports Betting Delay Sparks User Outcry: A Bullish Sign of Mainstream Demand?

Crypto.com hits a speed bump on the road to mainstream adoption, and its users are not happy about it.

The Platform Pauses Play

The exchange's planned foray into the red-hot sports betting arena has stalled. No official launch date, no detailed roadmap—just a vague promise of 'soon' that's doing little to placate a user base already counting their potential winnings. The silence from the platform is deafening, especially against the backdrop of a crypto market that's increasingly blending finance with entertainment.

Why the Fuss? Follow the Money

This isn't just about missing the big game. It's a symptom of a larger shift. Cryptocurrency platforms are no longer just digital vaults; they're evolving into full-spectrum financial and lifestyle hubs. Sports betting represents a massive, engaged, and lucrative market—a perfect funnel for onboarding the next 100 million users. Delaying this feature isn't just a minor inconvenience; it's a missed opportunity in a race where first-mover advantage is everything. It's the kind of stumble that makes traditional finance guys smirk into their overpriced coffee, muttering about 'unregulated gambles' while quietly setting up their own blockchain divisions.

A Delay, Not a Denial

Let's be clear: the outcry itself is bullish. It signals intense user engagement and pent-up demand for crypto-native entertainment. When users complain loudly about not being able to gamble with their digital assets, it confirms the asset class is moving from speculative storage to integrated utility. The delay is a logistical hiccup, but the demand it reveals is a fundamental strength. The real bet here isn't on a single game—it's on the entire convergence of crypto, finance, and culture. And that's a wager looking smarter every day.

3-second delay gives pros an edge over retail traders

For regular users, this means their bets are processed three seconds after they place them, which WOULD give market makers a head start. Bloomberg framed this as a “3-second advantage” for professionals.

Alfonso Straffon, a former sports trader and analyst at Deutsche Bank, said, “This three-second delay really protects market makers from courtsiders or even individuals that correctly anticipate a sudden, market-wide MOVE in the odds.”

Courtsiding is when someone at a live sporting event places bets using what is happening in real-time, before the wider market knows. Straffon added that even a few seconds can give professionals a big advantage.

Critics raise concerns about unfair treatment  

This change has caused debate in the market over fairness. According to Bloomberg, critics say this creates a two-tier system, where professional traders get better chances than regular users. 

The delay could also attract large trading firms to the platform, which would make it easier for them to trade with internal data access. But similar rules in stock and futures markets have faced complaints because they gave high-speed traders an advantage over ordinary investors.

Separately, Kalshi Inc., another major prediction market, filed a proposal with regulators to allow potential delays on its platform. “This is just a filing. We haven’t implemented anything and have not decided whether we will,” a Kalshi spokesperson said. The proposal is currently under a 10-business-day review by the CFTC and could be approved soon if regulators do not raise any issues. 

Delay favors professionals

Three seconds is a big time in the numbers market and can make a difference in fast-moving sports markets, especially when odds can change quickly after a goal, score, or injury.

Regular users will face the delay, while big trading firms like Susquehanna International Group and Jump Trading may benefit. Kalshi’s trading team, which is separate from the main platform, has also faced criticism from retail users who say it profits from them. Though the company said its team gets “no preferential treatment.”

Prediction markets have grown fast around sports events, but Crypto.com’s three-second delay shows how small amounts of time can give professional traders an advantage. This questions the fairness for regular users and the future of prediction markets.

Also Read: Singapore Tops 2025 Global crypto Adoption Rankings: Bybit Report