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WinZO is a Delhi-based mobile entertainment platform offering casual and skill-based games in multiple Indian languages.
Also known as WinZO · WinZO Games · WinZO Games Private Limited · winzogames.com
Investors · 6
How we know: Courtside Ventures's portfolio page · research · economictimes.indiatimes.com · Not right? Tell us
How we know: Griffin Gaming Partners's portfolio page · a partner's Signal profile · the VCSheet dataset · research · economictimes.indiatimes.com · Not right? Tell us
How we know: Makers Fund's portfolio page · a partner's Signal profile · research · economictimes.indiatimes.com · Not right? Tell us
How we know: research · economictimes.indiatimes.com · Not right? Tell us
How we know: a partner's Signal profile · Not right? Tell us
Also in the syndicate · 1
Company profile
researched Aug 2026WinZO is an India-based interactive entertainment platform that consolidates casual and mid-core games, esports and, more recently, short-form video content into a single mobile app. Founded in 2018 and headquartered in New Delhi, the company distributes an off-Play Store Android application hosting more than 100 games served in several formats and in 10 to 15 Indian regional languages. Its catalogue spans classic and board titles such as Ludo, Carrom, Rummy, Chess, Pool and Call Break, hyper-casual arcade titles including Bubble Shooter and Fruit Samurai, and mid-core esports IPs such as Free Fire.
The platform was designed around a vernacular, microtransaction-led model aimed at users in India's Tier 2 to Tier 5 towns. Users enter free or paid matches and tournaments with entry fees, and games are personalised based on engagement patterns; social features such as WinZO Versus let users compete with one another. WinZO also runs a Developer Console through which external studios submit games for integration on the platform, with real-time performance analytics, and a WinZO store offering third-party coupons. In August 2025 the company launched WinZO TV, a mobile-first vernacular platform for microdramas.
WinZO has also been offered in the United States, where the app is described as a real-money gaming product with cash tournaments, RNG certification on some titles, authentication requirements for wallet setup and withdrawals, and payouts typically processed within 12 to 24 hours.
Compiled by commissioned research from 12 cited public sources — announcements, filings, and press listed under research sources below.
Key figures
latest reportedCompany-reported or press-reported figures, each dated to when it was claimed — not independently audited.
Timeline · 12
launches, deals, and filingsWinZO launched a standalone ZO Play short-drama app on the Google Play Store, initially offering access at ₹2 per day or per a few episodes. Users opting for autopay reported deductions of nearly ₹499, generating complaints and refund requests in Play Store reviews.
With bank accounts frozen by the Enforcement Directorate, WinZO approached the Karnataka High Court seeking limited access to pay salaries. The High Court initially permitted limited withdrawals, but the Supreme Court quashed the order. Close to 130 employees had not been paid since January.
The Enforcement Directorate raided WinZO's offices in November 2025, alleging the company generated around ₹3,522 crore through illegal or questionable real-money gaming operations and transferred nearly ₹255 crore to subsidiary Zo. Cofounders Saumya Singh Rathore and Paavan Nanda were arrested under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act; Rathore secured bail from a Bengaluru sessions court while Nanda remained in custody until February.
WinZO incorporated STTOQ Invest Tech Private Limited to enter the stockbroking space; no platform had been publicly launched as of reporting.
WinZO announced it would withdraw its real-money gaming offerings starting 22 August 2025 to comply with the newly enacted Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, stating that no employees would lose their jobs and that it would focus on non-RMG segments.
WinZO launched a short-form drama platform, WinZO TV, using 100-200 short dramas acquired from Southeast Asian countries and integrated into the core WinZO app; it was later rebranded as ZO Play.
WinZO launched ZO Gold around Diwali in partnership with SafeGold, allowing users to invest in digital gold from ₹2. The offering saw little traction and was suspended.
WinZO expanded beyond India into Brazil, with stated ambitions to enter South Asia and the Middle East.
WinZO acquired a majority stake in Gurugram-based casual game development studio Upskillz Games, founded by Mannit Sidhu in 2020, for an undisclosed amount. WinZO said it would onboard Upskillz's blockchain and Web3-based offering and its 1.3 million user base.
WinZO announced investments in Bengaluru-based Bombay Play, UK-based Village Studio and blockchain gaming guild IndiGG under its $26 million WinZO Game Developer Fund.
$26M source ↗
Cricketer MS Dhoni became WinZO's brand ambassador; digital creators CarryMinati and Bhuvan Bam were also brought on board.
WinZO raised $65 million in a Series C round led by Griffin Gaming Partners, taking total capital raised to $90 million. Griffin co-founder Phil Sanderson joined WinZO's board of directors as part of the deal; it was the fund's first investment in India.
$65M source ↗
Dated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.
▸Research sources · 12
primary sources listed
- https://www.winzogames.com/winzogames.com · web
- winzo funding: Gaming startup WinZO raises $65 million from Griffin Gaming Partners - The Economic Timeseconomictimes.indiatimes.com · web
12 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.
Frequently asked questions
- What does WinZo do?
- WinZO is a Delhi-based mobile entertainment platform offering casual and skill-based games in multiple Indian languages.
- Who are WinZo's investors?
- WinZo's investors include Courtside Ventures, Griffin Gaming Partners, Makers Fund, Kalaari Capital, LionTree.