Essel Group has teamed Mojo Games to create a second poker website, mercurypoker.com.
A joint venture between the Mercury Gaming Solutions subsidiary and the Canadian-based B2B gaming software provider, mercurypoker.com will join the Indian Poker Network.
Complex structure at heart of new Essel Group development
Being the first network partner, Mercury Gaming Solutions will be a direct-to-consumer site and the joint venture shortly expects to launch Baadshah Gaming, a subsidiary of Casino Pride.
The partners also plan to build a nationwide network of poker players by launching new B2B partners all sharing in the India network’s pool of players.
Public records identified Pranav Bathija as the promoter of Mercury Gaming Solutions and the owner of the mercurypoker.com domain name, according to GLaws.in’s Jay Sayta. Bathija, according to the report, is a close business associate of Amit Goenka, the son of Essel Group Chairman Subhash Chandra.
Bathija, however, stressed that “Mercury Poker is an entirely different business [that’s] not related to Essel Group at all.”
Where next for online poker in India?
It was last May that the Mercury Gaming Solutions subsidiary launched pokernation.com, an online site operated by the lottery and gaming brand of the Pan Indian Network, Playwin.
It’s yet to be confirmed whether Essel Group will continue to be connected with both Indian poker networks.
