Bengaluru got buzzing as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) swooped down on Wednesday to arrest the founders of the popular online gaming platform WinZO, Saumya Singh Rathore and Paavan Nanda. The duo faced grilling at the ED's zonal office before being sent to one-day custody by a local court. They will return to face further court orders soon. The ED’s drama began after a bombshell allegation that WinZO held on to ₹43 crore of gamers' money—money that should have been returned after the Indian government banned real-money gaming (RMG) on August 22, 2025. Last week, the ED launched raids at WinZO and Gamezkraft, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), spotlighting shady dealings behind the scenes. According to the ED, WinZO used tricky algorithms to keep players hooked, without telling them they were actually playing against software, not real people. To add spice, it turns out WinZO wasn’t just Indian—it ran real-money games in Brazil, the U.S., and Germany from India using the same app platform. This cross-border play raised more alarms. The ED froze WinZO’s wealth too—bonds, fixed deposits, and mutual funds valued at ₹505 crore. The agency also accused the company of blocking cash withdrawals from players' wallets, trapping money illegally gained from those lost bets. But wait, there's more! The ED discovered that money was quietly moved abroad. Around $55 million (nearly ₹490 crore) sits in a WinZO bank account in the U.S., linked to a shell company. Yet all the operations and account management supposedly happen from India. Gamezkraft faces similar heat. WinZO's spokesperson fired back, saying, "Fairness and transparency are core to how WinZO designs and operates its platform." They stressed their commitment to user security and compliance with laws. This case shines a harsh light on the darker side of online gaming in India. Will the ED’s strict action change the game for good? Watch this space!