Saumya Singh Rathore is a co-founder of WinZO, a real-money gaming platform in India. She co-founded the company in 2017 along with Paavan Nanda, who had earlier founded ZO Rooms, a hotel aggregator, where Saumya was part of the core team as Chief of Staff from 2015. ZO Rooms, now permanently closed, was aimed at providing affordable, tech-enabled hospitality in India.

Educational Background

• Studied Applied Clinical Psychology at Bangalore University.
• Completed a Master’s in Organization & Consumer Psychology (Industrial and Consumer Psychology) from the University of Manchester (2008–2009).

Professional Experience

• Worked closely with leaders in the M&E (Media & Entertainment) sector, handling strategic roles focused on:
  • Growth planning and execution
  • Budgeting and post-merger integration
  • Strategic business development
  • Organizational structuring, hiring, and compensation

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WinZO and Money Laundering Case

Arrest

• Saumya Singh Rathore and Paavan Nanda were arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Bengaluru on money laundering charges under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
• The arrests followed raids on WinZO and Gamezkraft last week.

ED Allegations

• WinZO allegedly held ₹43 crore of gamers’ money that should have been refunded following the government ban on real-money gaming (RMGs) in India (effective 22 August 2025).
• The ED claimed that WinZO engaged in unscrupulous practices, where users played against algorithms without knowing they were not competing with real people.
• Bonds, fixed deposits, and mutual funds worth ₹505 crore possessed by WinZO were frozen under the PMLA.
• The agency flagged WinZO’s operations in international markets (Brazil, USA, Germany) through the same platform.

WinZO’s Response

• WinZO stated that fairness and transparency are core to its operations and emphasized user protection, trust, and compliance with all applicable laws.

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About Paavan Nanda (Co-Founder)

• Education: BE from Netaji Subhas Institute of Technology; MBA in Finance & Strategy from IIM Calcutta.
• Professional Experience: Worked at Bain & Company, Abbott, and Merrill Lynch before founding ZO Rooms (2013) and WinZO (2017).

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In short, Saumya Singh Rathore is a seasoned professional with a background in psychology, strategy, and business development, who co-founded WinZO. Both founders now face ED investigation for alleged money laundering linked to unrefunded real-money gaming funds.