NEW DELHI, January 2, 2026 —The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has frozen fresh bank deposits, mutual funds, and fixed deposits worth ₹192 crore belonging to real-money gaming app WinZO. The action followed searches at the company’s accounting firm on December 30, as part of an ongoing money laundering investigation.
The federal agency stated that “proceeds of crime” possessed by WinZO’s fully-owned Indian subsidiary, ZO Games Pvt. Ltd., were frozen under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). This marks the second major freeze in the case, following the seizure of about ₹505 crore in assets during earlier raids in November.
What Are the Latest ED Actions Against WinZO?
The ED conducted searches at WinZO’s accounting firm on December 30, leading to the freeze of ₹192 crore held in bank balances, fixed deposits, and mutual funds. Co-founders Saumya Singh Rathore and Paavan Nanda were arrested after questioning at the ED’s Bengaluru office. While Rathore has been granted bail, Nanda has been denied similar relief. The firm faces accusations of cheating, blocking accounts, impersonation, and misuse of customer PANs.
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What Are the Core Allegations Against the Gaming App?
The ED alleges WinZO engaged in “unscrupulous” practices by making players compete against bots, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and software—not human opponents—without user knowledge. The agency claims the company used software named ‘PPP, EP and Persona’ for this purpose. It further alleges WinZO prevented or limited customer withdrawals from their wallets.
How Much Money Did WinZO Allegedly Make from Bots?
According to the ED, WinZO generated “proceeds of crime” through a ‘Rake Commission’ from matches played by bots against real players. The agency quantified specific earnings from this practice:
- Approximately ₹177 crore won from bots between May 2024 and August 2025.
- Similarly generated funds of ₹557 crore between April 2022 and December 2023.
The total proceeds of crime in the case are quantified at about ₹802 crore.
What Happened in the Previous ED Raids?
The Bengaluru zonal office of the ED first conducted searches at four locations in Delhi and Gurgaon on November 18 and 22. During those raids, the agency froze bonds, fixed deposits, and mutual funds worth about ₹505 crore. The ED also alleges the company held users’ money worth ₹43 crore even after the government’s ban on real-money online gaming in late 2024.
FAQs: ED Action Against WinZO Gaming App
Q: How much money has the ED frozen in total from WinZO?
A: The ED has frozen approximately ₹697 crore in total (₹505 crore in November and a fresh ₹192 crore now) as part of the investigation.
Q: What is the main allegation against WinZO?
A: The ED alleges WinZO made users play against bots/AI instead of humans without disclosure, then blocked withdrawals, generating illicit “rake commission” earnings.
Q: What is the status of the WinZO co-founders?
A: Both co-founders were arrested. Saumya Singh Rathore has been granted bail, while Paavan Nanda’s bail plea has been denied.
Q: What law is being applied in this case?
A: The investigation is being conducted under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.
