Winzo enters US market with Short-video Platform ‘ZO TV’ amid real money gaming ban

Indian gaming platform winzo has expanded to the US for the first time as part of its global growth plans.

The move comes after India’s new Online Gaming Act banned real-money gaming, pushing many platforms to shut down such services.

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Winzo, which entered Brazil in 2023 with a $25 million investment, is now expanding to the US. While India leads in user numbers, it makes up less than 1% of the global gaming market, the company noted.

With the US launch, Winzo aims to showcase Indian-made games and its distribution model in a mature gaming market. The Gurugram-based platform has 250 million users and offers 100+ competitive and social games.

Alongside this expansion, Winzo introduced a short-video feature called ZO TV, competing with global platforms that mix gaming and content formats.

“The launch of Winzo in the United States is a proud milestone for us and for India’s digital entertainment ecosystem. Our vision has always been to empower Indian game developers to reach global audiences. Entering the US, the world’s largest and most influential gaming market, is a decisive step towards that mission," Saumya Singh Rathore and Paavan Nanda, cofounders of WinZO, said in a joint statement.

For FY24, Winzo’s operating revenue grew 70% to ₹1,055.2 crore.

At the same time, India’s new online gaming law has forced many firms to shut down real-money games. dream11 ended money-based games, Zupee stopped paid games, Probo shut real-money offerings, and MPL suspended all money-based games in India.

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