CoinFund Leads Seed Round for iGaming Platform From Former Facebook Games Executive Sean Ryan

NEW YORK, June 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — ZOOT (getzoot.us), a sweepstakes gaming platform bringing video game sensibilities to iGaming entertainment, today announced it has raised $6 million in seed funding led by CoinFund, one of the world’s first cryptonative investment firms, with participation from Griffin Gaming Partners to expand the current US-focused business to a global-facing, stablecoin-driven one. The investment further grows the opportunities for instant, borderless payments in digital entertainment as stablecoin adoption surges past $239 billion in circulation, with payment giants like Visa and PayPal racing to integrate crypto rails for faster, cheaper transactions.

Co-founded by gaming industry veterans John Cahill (ex-Sega, Shockwave, Yahoo Games and Open Wager) and Sean Ryan, who led Facebook’s multi-billion dollar games business, ZOOT is building an iGaming platform that pioneers a new approach to iGaming that combines the engagement of video games with the efficiency of blockchain-based payments. Ryan brings decades of experience from leadership roles including CEO of digital music service Listen.com/Rhapsody and co-founder of social casino games company OpenWager (home of leading sweeps product Luckyland Slots), which was successfully acquired by VGW in 2017.

“Blockchain gaming with real currency integration represents one of the most compelling opportunities in digital entertainment today,” said Sean Ryan, CEO and Co-Founder of ZOOT. “We’re bringing video game design principles to iGaming to create experiences that are not only entertaining, but also transparent and instantly rewarding. With stablecoins eliminating traditional payment friction, we can serve players globally with zero fees and instant payouts.”

Building on its successful launch in the US-focused sweepstakes sector, ZOOT’s upcoming global platform addresses key friction points in traditional online gaming—namely payment processing delays and geographic restrictions. The platform’s flagship games, including its leading Beer Pong adaptation of the classic Plinko game, show how traditional chance-based mechanics can be reimagined through a video game lens with more interactivity and greater audio and graphical fidelity.

“We are now seeing explosive growth in stablecoin adoption, and real-money gaming is a trillion-dollar market waiting to be transformed by crypto rails,” said David Pakman, Managing Partner and Head of Venture Investments at CoinFund. “Sean is one of the most thoughtful and experienced entrepreneurs in gaming, and we believe he and his team will be one of the largest winners in this market as they create a much more mainstream experience for real-money gaming players around the world.”

CoinFund, founded in 2015, has established itself as a leading blockchain investment firm with a portfolio of over 105 companies. The funding will accelerate ZOOT’s platform development and help the team prepare for international expansion. While ZOOT currently operates in the U.S. market, the company sees its biggest growth opportunity in bringing stablecoin-powered gaming to markets across Southeast Asia, Latin America, and Africa. The company plans to launch additional game titles and enhance its blockchain integration capabilities in the coming months.

About ZOOT

ZOOT is an innovative gaming platform that provides engaging gameplay leveraging blockchain technology to enable real-money gaming powered by stablecoin technology. Co-founded by industry veterans Sean Ryan and John Cahill, the company is headquartered in New York with a technology team based in Europe.

For more information, visit getzoot.us.

About CoinFund

CoinFund is one of the world’s first cryptonative investment firms founded in 2015 with over 105 portfolio companies and 6 investment vehicles. The firm champions the leaders of the new internet through venture investments, liquid strategies, and active participation in blockchain networks.

For more information, visit coinfund.io.

SOURCE CoinFund

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