Policy · Consumer Internet & Media

ED files prosecution complaint against WinZO

By Startup Enthusiast · 26 January 2026

What they do

WinZO runs a real-money gaming platform with over 100 games and 25 crore users

The ED filed a prosecution complaint on 23 Jan 2026, freezing assets worth Rs 690 crore

The ED alleges WinZO used bots to cheat users, causing Rs 734 crore in losses

The ED Bengaluru zonal office filed a prosecution complaint against WinZO on 23 Jan 2026 before the Special PMLA Court in Bengaluru.
The accused include WinZO Pvt Ltd, directors Paavan Nanda and Saumya Singh Rathore, and subsidiaries WinZO US Inc, WinZO SG Pte Ltd, and ZO Pvt Ltd.
The ED investigation is based on multiple FIRs from police in Bengaluru, Rajasthan, New Delhi, and Gurugram for cheating under the IPC.
The ED conducted searches on 18 Nov 2025 and 30 Dec 2025 at WinZO offices, director residences, and an accounting firm.
The ED froze assets worth approximately Rs 690 crore, including bank balances, payment gateway balances, mutual funds, bonds, FDs, and crypto wallets.
The ED alleges that until Dec 2023, WinZO embedded bots, AI tools, and algorithm-driven player profiles in its real-money games.
Between May 2024 and Aug 2025, WinZO allegedly simulated historical gameplay of dormant users and deployed them against real players without consent.
The ED estimates genuine users lost approximately Rs 734 crore due to bot-driven gameplay.
The ED estimates proceeds of crime at Rs 3,522.05 crore between FY22 and FY26 up to 22 Aug 2025.
The ED alleges proceeds were laundered through shell companies in the US and Singapore, with approximately USD 55 million transferred overseas as purported overseas direct investment.

The ED alleges WinZO's platform practices caused severe financial distress, mental stress, and suicidal tendencies among users from weaker economic backgrounds.
The ED alleges WinZO failed to return legitimate user winnings and deposits of Rs 47.66 crore after the Aug 2025 RMG ban.
The ED alleges WinZO attempted to divert Rs 150 crore via the ODI route, which failed due to missing audit and utilisation certificates.
Cofounders Rathore and Nanda were arrested by the ED on money laundering charges under PMLA; Rathore was granted bail, while Nanda's bail plea was rejected.

WinZO is a mobile real-money gaming platform with over 100 games and claims 25 crore users, mainly from tier-3 and tier-4 cities.
WinZO earned revenue by charging a commission on user betting amounts.
After the India RMG ban, WinZO continued RMG services in Brazil, US, and Germany from India using the same platform.
In India, WinZO expanded to a short-video product called ZO TV and experimented with digital gold.