'CFTC complaint filed' over Kalshi Cardi B Super Bowl decision

CFTC complaint filed after Kalshi’s Cardi B Super Bowl event decision – report

Kalshi users have been left outraged after a decision from the prediction market regarding Cardi B’s Super Bowl appearance.

At least one Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has reportedly been filed after Kalshi’s controversial Super Bowl LX decision. Prediction market expert Dustin Gouker has shared that at least one person has filed a formal complaint to the CFTC. This may spark a review by the CFTC and possibly further investigation and penalties if deemed necessary.

Depending on which prediction market was used, those who wagered on Cardi B making an appearance at the Super Bowl LX Halftime Show have had different outcomes. Polymarket settled the event contract in favor of those who bet that she would appear, but fellow prediction market Kalshi has invoked Rule 6.3 to only issue a partial settlement.

This has triggered both outrage on social media and the formal complaint to the CFTC. Kalshi has cited ambiguity over whether Cardi B only appearing to dance qualifies as a performance, or whether she needed to actually sing.

Screenshot of a Kalshi prediction market chart for “Cardi B” showing price fluctuations over several months, ending at a partial settlement of 26¢ for “Yes,” with a note explaining the outcome was not a simple yes-or-no decision. — Kalshi’s controversial partial settlement on whether Cardi B “performed” at the Super Bowl LX halftime show has sparked user backlash and a formal complaint to the CFTC. Credit: Kalshi

“Due to ambiguity over whether or not Cardi B’s attendance at the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show constituted a qualifying ‘performance’, Kalshi is invoking Rule 6.3(c) to settle this market to the last traded price before trading was paused,” reads a statement from Kalshi on its website. “Those prices are $0.26 for Yes holders and $0.74 for No holders. Conversely, per Kalshi’s full rules, celebrities that danced in the background during the halftime show but did not visibly sing or play an instrument did not ‘perform’ for purposes of the contract.”

Highlighted notice from Kalshi explaining a partial settlement due to ambiguity over whether Cardi B’s Super Bowl halftime appearance qualified as a “performance,” citing Rule 6.3(c) and listing payouts of <img decoding= — Kalshi’s official notice outlining its Rule 6.3(c) decision to partially settle the Cardi B Super Bowl market amid performance ambiguity. Credit: Kalshi

A partial settlement has been issued to users at $0.26 for “Yes” and $0.74 for “No”, meaning it’s effectively a refund rather than a full payout.

Reactions to the Cardi B decision from Kalshi

Others have taken to social media to criticize the decision from Kalshi, with one user calling the move “disgusting”.

“Kalshi settling Cardi B as not performing (despite clearly meeting all three requirements) is just more proof that they are scumbags who settle based on their own personal interest,” wrote X user EV Massachusetts. “They settled Karol G and Cardi B differently despite them doing the exact same thing. Disgusting.”

.@Kalshi settling Cardi b as not performing (despite clearly meeting all 3 requirements) is just more proof that they are scumbags who settle based on their own personal interest. They settled Karol g and cardi b differently despite them doing the exact same thing. Disgusting
— +EV Massachusetts (@EvMassachusetts) February 9, 2026

Readwrite has reached out to the CFTC for further comment.

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