Helsi co-founder Samvel Akobyan has pivoted to the gambling industry following the sale of the medical platform, founding new ventures for gaming software development and online casino operations. While public concerns have emerged over the security of Helsi users’ sensitive data, both the entrepreneur and regulators maintain that all operations fully comply with current legislation.
Major shifts in the entrepreneur’s business portfolio materialized in the summer of 2026. In June, Akobyan’s company, 12 TEK, officially secured a license for gambling software development. Shortly thereafter, a second entity, PINGVIN PLAY, was established to operate directly in the online casino market. Both ventures have already obtained resident status in the Diia.City special legal and tax regime.
The rapid approval process across licensing procedures drew scrutiny from investigative journalists. However, the regulatory body PlayCity confirmed that prior to issuing authorization, the company underwent thorough checks by law enforcement and supervisory authorities, which revealed no compliance violations or grounds for denial.
Akobyan firmly dismissed speculation regarding third-party backing or connections to major industry players:
«The new projects are funded exclusively through my personal capital. I maintain no business ties or shared financial interests with former Helsi investors or representatives of Parimatch,» the IT entrepreneur stated.
The transition has raised significant public discussion regarding user data privacy. Industry analysts expressed concern over potential risks involving the adaptation of Helsi’s software framework, infrastructure, or user databases for promotional and technical use in gambling platforms.
In response, Kyivstar—the current owner of the Helsi platform—alongside Akobyan, assured the public that the former owner has zero access to the system’s source code or the personal and medical data of registered users.
For its part, PlayCity noted that evaluating hypothetical scenarios regarding the cross-industry reuse of technology falls outside its legal mandate, provided the entity meets all statutory requirements. Nevertheless, experts emphasize that while an IT entrepreneur’s transition into iGaming is entirely lawful, the state must ensure maximum transparency and oversight when dealing with figures who previously managed strategic digital infrastructure and large volumes of sensitive personal data.