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WPT Global draws criticism for choosing Tony ‘Ren’ Lin as an ambassador

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WPT Global has drawn equal parts criticism and mockery for its choice of admitted poker cheat Tony ‘Ren’ Lin as its latest ambassador.

On Monday (January 12), WPT Global announced that Tony ‘Ren’ Lin had been appointed, writing on X: “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.”

However, the decision has been met with criticism on social media, as Lin has previously admitted to cheating, serving a suspension from poker in the second half of 2025. Lin was disqualified from the World Series of Poker Super Circuit Main Event in Cyprus last year for using prohibited real-time assistance (RTA), resulting in the player being “indefinitely suspended” from both GGPoker and WSOP events as a result.

Other World Poker Tour brands, including the parent brand, have distanced themselves from WPT Global in the wake of the announcement. ClubWPT Gold posted a picture of controversial alleged poker scammer Maurice Hawkins on X, joking that it had signed him as an ambassador too.

The World Poker Tour took to X in a now-deleted post to say: “WPT Global is a licensee of the World Poker Tour. We do not officially endorse any of their ambassadors.” By Tuesday, Dara O’Kearney and David Lappin of the Chip Race podcast stepped down as ambassadors over the appointment.

Screenshot of WPT Global’s X post defending Tony “Ren” Lin as an ambassador, saying it values performance over influence, alongside a quoted ClubWPT Gold post showing a photo of Lin with the word “BANNED” in large red letters.
WPT Global doubles down on hiring Tony “Ren” Lin as backlash spreads across poker’s social media. Credit: WPT Global / X

In a statement posted on X, the duo wrote: “In June 2025, we joined WPT Global as ambassadors, putting The Chip Race content slate under their sponsorship. We are enormously appreciative of the role that Cameron Soane played in putting that deal together. We saw WPT Global making waves in the poker space and, in particular, investing in the Irish market. We wanted to be a part of that and believed that our brands aligned, both in objectives and values.

“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.”

WPT Global doubles down

WPT Global has doubled down on its choice of ambassador since then, writing in a now-deleted X post: “We’re thorough when reviewing every ambassador we work with, including Tony Lin, and we have full confidence in his integrity and standards. We select ambassadors based on proven performance and results, not follower counts.

“Players like @TheBradOwen & @rampagepoker are great at farming vlog watchers, but are they great poker players? While others may prioritise ‘influence. We stand apart.”

In a second, longer statement also shared to X, WPT Global indirectly acknowledged the cheating scandal, writing: “WPT Global remains dedicated to maintaining the highest standards of integrity, security, and fairness in online poker. Our decision to collaborate with Tony is rooted in our belief in second chances and our focus on the future.”

Featured image: WPT Global

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