WinZO Enters US Market, Pivots To Short Video Content Post Real Money Gaming Ban

Gaming startup WinZO has ventured into the US market with plans to take Indian gaming and technology worldwide. This move comes at a time when India’s new Online Gaming Bill has imposed a blanket ban on real money gaming, forcing several platforms to wind down their money-based offerings.

In a statement, WinZO said that in revenue terms, the US stands as the largest gaming market, and it represents an opportunity to access one of the most mature and lucrative gaming markets through the startup’s proven plug-and-launch distribution model.

Additionally, the startup is also foraying into the booming short video market by rolling out its short video feature called ZO TV.

“Entering the US, the world’s largest and most influential gaming market, is a decisive step towards that mission. We are equally excited to introduce ZO TV, our new short video format, which further diversifies our content offerings and strengthens WinZO’s position as a global hub and one stop destination for interactive entertainment,” cofounders Saumya Singh Rathore and Paavan Nanda, said in a joint statement.

Founded in 2018 by Nanda and Rathore, WinZO claims to have built a community of over 250 Mn users and partnered with global investors and developers to bring Indian gaming talent to the world stage.

The Delhi NCR-based startup has raised about $110 Mn till date, from investors like Kalaari Capital, Maker’s Fund and Griffin Gaming Partners, among others. 

Govt Pulls The Plug On Real Money Gaming

Of about 11 startups that shut shop in India, WinZO, which relied heavily on real money gaming, rolled back its RMG offerings starting August 22.

The Rajya Sabha passed the ‘Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025’ earlier last week, citing risks of money laundering and terror funding, as well as having incurred more than INR 20,000 Cr of annual losses due to real money games.

The Bill also bans all advertisements, or production thereof, involving money-based online gaming platforms. Further, it also bars banks, financial institutions and “individuals” from facilitating any transactions related to online money-based gaming platforms.

Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, while presenting the Bill, said that close to 45 Cr Indians lose money on online gaming platforms each year. “Online games are also used for money laundering and supporting terror activities against India,” he then said. 

Following which, President Droupadi Murmu gave her assent to the Bill, effectively bringing an end to India’s real money gaming industry. 

Short Videos Drive Next Big Wave In Digital Media

WinZO’s bet on the short form video market is a testament to its plans of cracking into one of the rapidly growing audiences across the globe. India is seeing several platforms such as Reelies, Kuku, and ReelSaga building a content library focused on microdramas to capture the young audience with short-lived attention span. 

Additionally, major studios and OTT platforms are also experimenting their possibilities of making their way into this format. Amazon-owned MX Player is offering short films and series under its MX Fatafat banner, and JioHotstar is exploring micro-style versions of its creator-led shows through Sparks. 

Investors are therefore exploring startups in the short-form video space to capitalise on the growing market potential.

In recent months, startups, including Chai Bisket raised $5 Mn to launch a regional-first OTT platform called Chai Shots, Zee Entertainment invested in Bullet to enter the 60-second content space and ReelSaga raised $2.1 Mn to produce high-quality, localised content.

On this note, the global microdrama market, built on ultra-short, mobile-first fiction, stood at $6.54 Bn in 2024 and is projected to hit nearly $12 Bn by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 10.5%, based on an external report.