Tony “Ren Lin” Lin is officially the newest ambassador at WPT Global, and the poker community is not happy about it. The Ren Lin WPT Global partnership announcement comes just months after Lin was caught in a ghosting scandal that got him banned from GGPoker and the WSOP.

From GGPoker Ban to WPT Global Patch

Lin, who boasts over $16 million in live tournament earnings, was previously a GGPoker ambassador. But that relationship came to a screeching halt in October 2025 when he was caught providing real-time assistance (RTA) to player “RealOA” during the $10,000 GGMillion$ online final table on October 14, 2025. Lin was simultaneously playing the WSOP Super Circuit Cyprus $5,300 Main Event live tournament, where he was disqualified from Day 2 after the online incident came to light. The breach resulted in Lin’s indefinite suspension from GGPoker, WSOP, and all partner platforms, plus Lin voluntarily paid $96,380 from his own pocket to cover the restitution shortfall for the $346,903 prize money redistribution.

Shortly after the ban, Lin showed up at WSOP Paradise just seven weeks later without any sponsor patch, clearly in poker purgatory. Now just a few months after that, WPT Global has decided to give him a second chance.

Twitter Meltdown and Deleted Posts

When WPT Global announced Lin as their newest ambassador on Twitter, the poker community unleashed hell in the comments. The backlash was so severe that WPT Global actually deleted the original post and tried again with a fresh announcement.

NEW AMBASSADOR

Tony ‘Ren’ Lin joins WPT Global as our newest Ambassador!

One of the most accomplished players on the global live circuit, Tony brings over $16 million in live earnings and years of success on poker’s biggest stages.

Welcome, Tony! pic.twitter.com/QvD13HDKjL

— WPT Global (@wpt_global) January 12, 2026

The World Poker Tour itself was quick to distance itself from the Ren Lin WPT Global deal. In a now-deleted post, they clarified: “WPT Global is a licensee of the World Poker Tour. We do not officially endorse any of their ambassadors“. The statement was widely interpreted as WPT clarifying its limited role in WPT Global’s ambassador decisions.

WPT Global Defends Controversial Signing

Despite the overwhelming negative reaction, WPT Global doubled down on their choice. In their official statement, the platform defended the signing by emphasizing their belief in “growth, accountability, and redemption”.

“Tony has openly addressed past controversies, taken full responsibility for his actions, and accepted the consequences with humility,” WPT Global stated. “His willingness to learn, improve, and move forward demonstrates a maturity that aligns with our values“.

The poker room also made it clear they prioritize performance over popularity, stating: “We select ambassadors based on proven performance and results, not follower counts. Others may prioritize influence. We stand apart“. WPT Global added they would be working with Lin to share “more of his side of the story soon.”

Competitors Take Shots

The drama didn’t end there. WPT Global’s competitors couldn’t resist taking some jabs on social media. ClubWPT Gold posted a graphic showing Ren Lin with the word “BANNED” plastered across it – a not-so-subtle dig at their rival’s controversial choice. That post was also quickly deleted.

Poker Twitter had a field day mocking the situation. Thomas Keeling, Creative Director at ClubWPT, asked on social media: “What on earth are you doing, @wpt_global?” Others compared the signing to hiring notorious alleged cheater Mike Postle, while poker journalist Barry Carter called the entire situation an “omnishambles” – British slang for a situation that’s been badly mismanaged from every angle.

Chip Race Podcast Hosts Quit WPT Global

Perhaps the most significant fallout came when David Lappin and Dara O’Kearney, hosts of the popular Chip Race podcast, immediately severed ties with WPT Global over the Ren Lin WPT Global signing. The duo had only joined the platform as ambassadors in June 2025 after their long-running sponsorship with Unibet Poker ended.

In a joint statement posted on X, the pair explained: “The signing of Ren Lin as a Global Ambassador came as a shock to us. Given our personally held and outspoken views on the scandal surrounding him, it was immediately obvious that our continued roles with the company were untenable. As a result, we are parting ways with WPT Global“.

ANNOUNCEMENT pic.twitter.com/zPqEdR8yyR

— The Chip Race (@thechiprace) January 13, 2026

Lappin, who had been one of the most vocal critics of Lin’s behavior during the original scandal, told PokerNews: “It’s extremely disappointing for the partnership to end this way but Dara and I were left with no choice. Signing Ren Lin was a clear line for us and we made that transparent to the people at WPT Global“.

The loss of two respected voices in the poker community adds another layer of controversy to what has already become one of the most talked-about ambassador signings in recent poker history. Whether the Ren Lin WPT Global partnership proves to be a bold move or a major misstep remains to be seen, but one thing’s certain – the poker world will be watching closely.