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

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WPT International has drawn equal elements criticism and mockery for its selection of admitted poker cheat Tony ‘Ren’ Lin as its newest ambassador.

On Monday (January 12), WPT International introduced that Tony ‘Ren’ Lin had been appointed, writing on X: “Tony ‘Ren’ Lin joins WPT International as our latest Ambassador! One of the vital achieved gamers on the worldwide dwell circuit, Tony brings over $16 million in dwell earnings and years of success on poker’s largest phases.”

NEW AMBASSADOR

Tony ‘Ren’ Lin joins WPT International as our latest Ambassador!

One of the vital achieved gamers on the worldwide dwell circuit, Tony brings over $16 million in dwell earnings and years of success on poker’s largest phases.

Welcome, Tony! pic.twitter.com/QvD13HDKjL

— WPT International (@wpt_global) January 12, 2026

Nonetheless, the choice has been met with criticism on social media, as Lin has beforehand admitted to dishonest, serving a suspension from poker within the second half of 2025. Lin was disqualified from the World Collection of Poker Tremendous Circuit Most important Occasion in Cyprus final 12 months for utilizing prohibited real-time assistance (RTA), ensuing within the participant being “indefinitely suspended” from each GGPoker and WSOP occasions because of this.

Different World Poker Tour manufacturers, together with the mum or dad model, have distanced themselves from WPT International within the wake of the announcement. ClubWPT Gold posted an image of controversial alleged poker scammer Maurice Hawkins on X, joking that it had signed him as an envoy too.

And whereas we’re at it… pic.twitter.com/TTDDQfbZjP

— ClubWPT Gold (@ClubWPTGold) January 12, 2026

The World Poker Tour took to X in a now-deleted publish to say: “WPT International is a licensee of the World Poker Tour. We don’t formally 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 International doubles down on hiring Tony “Ren” Lin as backlash spreads throughout poker’s social media. Credit score: WPT International / X

In an announcement posted on X, the duo wrote: “In June 2025, we joined WPT International as ambassadors, placing The Chip Race content material slate below their sponsorship. We’re enormously appreciative of the position that Cameron Soane performed in placing that deal collectively. We noticed WPT International making waves within the poker house and, particularly, investing within the Irish market. We needed to be part of that and believed that our manufacturers aligned, each in targets and values.

“The signing of Ren Lin as a International Ambassador got here as a shock to us. Given our personally held and outspoken views on the scandal surrounding him, it was instantly apparent that our continued roles with the corporate had been untenable. In consequence, we’re parting methods with WPT International.”

ANNOUNCEMENT pic.twitter.com/zPqEdR8yyR

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

WPT International doubles down

WPT International has doubled down on its selection of ambassador since then, writing in a now-deleted X publish: “We’re thorough when reviewing each ambassador we work with, together with Tony Lin, and we’ve got full confidence in his integrity and requirements. We choose ambassadors primarily based on confirmed efficiency and outcomes, not follower counts.

“Gamers like @TheBradOwen & @rampagepoker are nice at farming vlog watchers, however are they nice poker gamers? Whereas others could prioritise ‘affect. We stand aside.”

https://t.co/FQnDmnQ0Mt

— WPT International (@wpt_global) January 12, 2026

In a second, longer statement also shared to X, WPT International not directly acknowledged the dishonest scandal, writing: “WPT International stays devoted to sustaining the very best requirements of integrity, safety, and equity in on-line poker. Our determination to collaborate with Tony is rooted in our perception in second possibilities and our concentrate on the long run.”

Featured picture: WPT Global

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