diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
index 36e674b..eb5d3d6 100644
--- a/.env.example
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -18,3 +18,4 @@ JWT_SECRET=
 ADMIN_TOKEN=
 
 ROUND_DURATION_SECONDS=600
+ROUND_COOLDOWN_SECONDS=30
diff --git a/CLAUDE.md b/CLAUDE.md
index 6508b9e..8118d53 100644
--- a/CLAUDE.md
+++ b/CLAUDE.md
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ Known risk: `docker-compose.yml` sets `restart: unless-stopped` on `app`, so a c
 - **Secrets**: master xprv encrypted at rest with a symmetric scheme (AES-GCM/Fernet); the encryption key itself lives in an env var, never in the DB or in git.
 - **Operational config** (fee/commission address, RBF fee-bump wallet, etc.): stored in a DB config table, not env vars — must be editable without a redeploy.
 - **Round duration**: configurable via env var, default 10 minutes (not hardcoded).
+- **Round cooldown**: `ROUND_COOLDOWN_SECONDS` (default 30s) — gap after a round closes before the next one opens, so players have time to see the outcome. Not in the original flowchart; added afterwards as an explicit design decision.
 
 ## PLM network parameters
 
diff --git a/app/bets/service.py b/app/bets/service.py
index aeb22f2..dc3e906 100644
--- a/app/bets/service.py
+++ b/app/bets/service.py
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@ class BetError(Exception):
 
 async def place_bet(session: AsyncSession, client: ElectrumClient, user: User) -> RoundParticipant:
     round_ = await open_new_round_if_needed(session)
+    if round_ is None:
+        raise BetError("no round open right now, please try again shortly")
     if round_.status != "open":
         raise BetError("the current round is closing, please try again shortly")
 
diff --git a/app/config.py b/app/config.py
index f1bbf52..aef5b37 100644
--- a/app/config.py
+++ b/app/config.py
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ class Settings(BaseSettings):
     admin_token: str = ""
 
     round_duration_seconds: int = 600
+    round_cooldown_seconds: int = 30
 
     bet_amount_sats: int = 10 * 100_000_000
     min_amount_sats: int = 1 * 100_000_000
diff --git a/app/rounds/scheduler.py b/app/rounds/scheduler.py
index 34db08c..a06617e 100644
--- a/app/rounds/scheduler.py
+++ b/app/rounds/scheduler.py
@@ -50,6 +50,8 @@ class RoundScheduler:
         async with self._session_factory() as session:
             round_ = await open_new_round_if_needed(session)
             await session.commit()
+            if round_ is None:
+                return  # still in the cooldown window after the last round closed
             round_id, status, opened_at = round_.id, round_.status, round_.opened_at
 
         if status != "open":
diff --git a/app/rounds/service.py b/app/rounds/service.py
index e7c219c..ca428d7 100644
--- a/app/rounds/service.py
+++ b/app/rounds/service.py
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
+from datetime import datetime, timedelta, timezone
+
 from sqlalchemy import select
 from sqlalchemy.ext.asyncio import AsyncSession
 
+from app.config import settings
 from app.db.models import Round
 
 _ACTIVE_STATUSES = ("open", "closing", "drawing", "paying_out")
@@ -13,14 +16,23 @@ async def get_active_round(session: AsyncSession) -> Round | None:
     return await session.scalar(select(Round).where(Round.status.in_(_ACTIVE_STATUSES)).order_by(Round.id.desc()))
 
 
-async def open_new_round_if_needed(session: AsyncSession) -> Round:
-    """Returns the active round if one exists (whatever its status), otherwise
-    opens a fresh one. Callers that need to attach a bet must additionally check
-    the returned round's status == "open" — a round in closing/drawing/paying_out
-    isn't accepting new bets, but a new round can't open until it's done."""
+async def open_new_round_if_needed(session: AsyncSession) -> Round | None:
+    """Returns the active round if one exists (whatever its status). Otherwise
+    opens a fresh one, unless the last closed round's cooldown (ROUND_COOLDOWN_SECONDS)
+    hasn't elapsed yet — in which case returns None. Callers that need to attach a
+    bet must additionally check the returned round's status == "open" — a round in
+    closing/drawing/paying_out isn't accepting new bets, but a new round can't open
+    until it's done."""
     active = await get_active_round(session)
     if active is not None:
         return active
+
+    last_closed = await session.scalar(select(Round).where(Round.status == "closed").order_by(Round.id.desc()))
+    if last_closed is not None and last_closed.closed_at is not None:
+        closed_at = last_closed.closed_at.replace(tzinfo=timezone.utc)
+        if datetime.now(timezone.utc) < closed_at + timedelta(seconds=settings.round_cooldown_seconds):
+            return None
+
     round_ = Round(status="open")
     session.add(round_)
     await session.flush()
diff --git a/docs/guida-admin.md b/docs/guida-admin.md
index f3ab6ff..6f586d3 100644
--- a/docs/guida-admin.md
+++ b/docs/guida-admin.md
@@ -25,8 +25,9 @@ usa i bottoni:
 | **Fee address** | L'indirizzo PLM su cui finisce il 30% di ogni round (fee). Obbligatorio: i payout **non partono** se questo campo è vuoto. |
 | **Bet amount (PLM)** | Il costo fisso d'ingresso per round, mostrato/impostato in PLM (internamente il backend lavora in sats: 1 PLM = 100.000.000 sats). |
 
-`ROUND_DURATION_SECONDS` (durata del round) **non** è qui: è una variabile
-d'ambiente in `.env`, non modificabile a runtime — per cambiarla serve
+`ROUND_DURATION_SECONDS` (durata del round) e `ROUND_COOLDOWN_SECONDS` (pausa
+tra un round e il successivo, default 30s) **non** sono qui: sono variabili
+d'ambiente in `.env`, non modificabili a runtime — per cambiarle serve
 riavviare il server con il nuovo valore.
 
 ## Alternative all'interfaccia grafica
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_rounds_service.py b/tests/unit/test_rounds_service.py
index 0ef8937..bb2ed8b 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_rounds_service.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_rounds_service.py
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
+from datetime import datetime, timedelta, timezone
+
 import pytest
 from sqlalchemy.ext.asyncio import async_sessionmaker, create_async_engine
 
+from app.config import settings
 from app.db.base import Base
 from app.db.models import Round
 from app.rounds.service import get_active_round, open_new_round_if_needed
@@ -56,3 +59,24 @@ async def test_opens_new_round_after_previous_is_closed(session_factory):
     async with session_factory() as session:
         round_ = await open_new_round_if_needed(session)
         assert round_.status == "open"
+
+
+async def test_withholds_new_round_during_cooldown(session_factory):
+    async with session_factory() as session:
+        session.add(Round(status="closed", closed_at=datetime.now(timezone.utc)))
+        await session.commit()
+
+    async with session_factory() as session:
+        round_ = await open_new_round_if_needed(session)
+        assert round_ is None
+
+
+async def test_opens_new_round_once_cooldown_elapses(session_factory):
+    stale_close = datetime.now(timezone.utc) - timedelta(seconds=settings.round_cooldown_seconds + 1)
+    async with session_factory() as session:
+        session.add(Round(status="closed", closed_at=stale_close))
+        await session.commit()
+
+    async with session_factory() as session:
+        round_ = await open_new_round_if_needed(session)
+        assert round_.status == "open"