ED arrests WinZO co-founders in money laundering case
27 Nov 2025

Saumya Singh Rathore and Paavan Nanda, the co-founders of online gaming platform WinZO, have been arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on money laundering charges.

They were taken into custody in Bengaluru after being questioned at the zonal office of the federal probe agency.

The two were produced before a local court in Bengaluru last night and sent to one-day custody.

ED's allegations against WinZO
Charges detailed

The ED has alleged that WinZO has "held" ₹43 crore of gamers' money, which should have been refunded after India banned real-money gaming.

The agency had raided the offices of WinZO and another online gaming company, Gamezkraft, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

It accused WinZO of "engaging in criminal activities and unscrupulous practices," claiming customers were unknowingly made to play with algorithms instead of humans in real-money games.

WinZO's international operations and fund diversion
Global reach

The ED alleged that WinZO was running real-money games (RMGs) in Brazil, the US, and Germany from India.

Despite the Indian government's ban on RMGs on August 22, 2025, the agency claimed that ₹43 crore is still with the company without being refunded to customers.

It also said bonds, fixed deposits, and mutual funds worth ₹505 crore "possessed" by WinZO Games were frozen under PMLA.

WinZO's response to ED's allegations
Company statement

The ED further claimed funds from the Indian entity were diverted to the US and Singapore as overseas investments.

In response to the ED's allegations, a spokesperson for WinZO said, "Fairness and transparency are core to how WinZO designs and operates its platform."

The company emphasized its commitment to user protection and providing a secure experience.

It also stressed that it remains fully compliant with all applicable laws.