Overview
- WPT Global announced Tony “Ren” Lin as its newest ambassador on January 12 and followed with statements framing the hire as a second-chance decision focused on growth and redemption.
- The main World Poker Tour account posted, then deleted, a message clarifying that WPT Global is a licensee and that the WPT brand does not endorse WPT Global’s ambassadors.
- WPT-linked social accounts deleted multiple posts tied to the rollout, including WPT Global’s initial announcement and a ClubWPT Gold image referencing Lin as banned.
- By January 13, The Chip Race co-hosts Dara O’Kearney and David Lappin said they were stepping down as WPT Global ambassadors in protest of the appointment.
- Lin was disqualified from a WSOP Super Circuit event in Cyprus in late 2025, GGPoker permanently banned the beneficiary player and listed Lin as indefinitely suspended, and he returned to live play at WSOP Paradise about seven weeks later.