Ren Lin Signs to WPT Global despite cheating scandal.

Looks like someone forgot to sync the group chat.

Ok, there’s a bit of drama going on.

WPT Global announced Ren “Tony” Lin as an ambassador.

Lin is the former GGPoker ambassador who was indefinitely banned by GG/WSOP following a ghosting controversy.

Despite the ban, he was later spotted playing at WSOP Paradise, even as his name quietly disappeared from GGPoker.

Last night, WPT Global makes him an ambassador.

Shortly after, the WPT main account tweets that it does not endorse or control WPT Global’s ambassadors.

Minutes later, WPT Global deletes the announcement.

Then ClubWPT Gold posted a tweet simply saying “BANNED”, featuring Ren Lin’s image, seemingly signaling the decision had been reversed.🍿

So as it turns out WPT Global has signed Ren “Tony” Lin after all.

This will certainly be David Lappin’s reaction at Lin getting signed to WPT Global.

David Lappin has been an outspoken critic of Ren Lin for quite some time now. It stems from Lin being banned and then reinstated at the WSOP and GGPoker tables, despite being a central character in a ghosting controversy that took place on their site.

Now Lin has been signed on as the latest WPT Global ambassador. And guess who else represents the same brand?

Yep, you guessed it. None other than Lappin himself.

Someone grab the popcorn.

Lifting the paywall on Anuj’s take on the Ren “Tony” Lin cheating scandal.

Published in October 2025 on Poker Industry PRO, Anuj reported that Tony Lin (who, at the time, was a GGPoker ambassador) and player RealOA were at the centre of controversy.

The pair were caught in a real-time coaching scandal during the GGMillion$ final.

After evidence emerged on social media, including Lin’s own apology, GGPoker wasted no time: RealOA was banned and Lin was indefinitely suspended (although, in reality, this wouldn’t last long).

The operator refunded nearly $350,000 to impacted players, with Lin himself covering almost $100,000 out of pocket to make things right.

Before the official word was out, Lin was also shown the door at the WSOP Super Circuit Cyprus Main Event. However, he was seen at WSOP Paradise, which took place in the Bahamas back in December of last year.

In a further twist, Lin is now signed to WPT Global as an ambassador for the brand.

Now you see me, now you don’t.

Ren Lin might be the only person to get banned, unbanned, signed, disowned, and then signed again by three poker brands in under two months.

For anyone just catching up now on the whys and wherefores of the story, here is a great roundup from the PokerOrg team on what is actually happening over at the World Poker Tour.

Meme king Barry Carter reacts to WPT “omnishambles”.

The Chip Race along with co-hosts Dara O’Kearney and David Lappin part ways with WPT Global.

WPT Global’s full statement on the Ren 'Tony’ Lin hire.

It’s all about 'growth, accountability, and redemption’: their words, not ours. Below is just an extract of the full statement, which you can read on X.

The world of competitive poker is not only about winning hands, but also about personal evolution and the courage to face challenges with integrity. We are honored to welcome Tony Lin as our newest brand ambassador. Tony has openly addressed past controversies, taken full responsibility for his actions, and accepted the consequences with humility. His willingness to learn, improve, and move forward demonstrates a maturity that aligns with our values. His journey reflects resilience—a quality we admire and wish to highlight.

Victoria Coren Mitchell has entered the WPT Global chat.

Notably Victoria gave up her PokerStars ambassadorship as soon as the company started offering casino games — which was probably around 10+ years ago now. At the time, it was a line she was not prepared to cross.

Victoria gave kudos to Dara and David who have parted ways with WPT Global after the company signed Ren Lin on as an ambassador.

I mean, he’s not wrong.

WPT: available in four confusing flavors.

The World Poker Tour really wants to make sure you never play poker the same way twice. With WPT, ClubWPT, WPT Global, and ClubWPT Gold all on the table, you can pick between live tournaments, subscription-based play, real money action, or even poker coaching disguised as a sweepstakes.

If you can remember which brand is which, you probably deserve a prize yourself.

How inclined are you to play on the WPT? Be it live or online?

Dara O’Kearney and David Lappin didn’t see their WPT Global split coming.

As Dara told us, “We were not told about the announcement ahead of time and felt totally blindsided.” David was just as surprised, immediately erasing all signs of WPT Global from their podcasts and social media.

The drama unfolded around WPT Global’s decision to sign Ren “Tony” Lin, a player previously banned for cheating. This was, according to Lappin, a dealbreaker. “On the last episode of The Lock-In we criticized the GGPoker and the WSOP decision to allow [Lin] to play again so soon,” he told us.

The announcement was briefly pulled, giving the duo a flicker of hope, but it was reposted the next morning. The writing was on the wall and, after a final meeting, O’Kearney and Lappin began disentangling themselves from WPT Global for good.