Banned Poker Player Returns Just Seven Weeks After Cheating Ban
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In October, Ren Lin received an "indefinite suspension" from GGPoker, WSOP, and all partner platforms, according to a statement issued at the time by GGPoker.
Now, just 49 days later, Lin has returned to poker, recording two cashes at the 2025 WSOP Paradise festival at the Atlantis Bahamas Resort & Casino, Bahamas.
Banned for Just Seven Weeks?
While the suspension was "indefinite," many in the poker community believed that Lin's ban wouldn't see him return to the WSOP felt until at least 2026. However, after just seven weeks, Lin has returned to play at WSOP Paradise.
He first cashed in the WSOP Circuit Championship Mystery Bounty, finishing 124th for $3,600, before following that up with an 11th-place finish in the Triton $125,000 NLHE 7-Handed for $254,000.
On Wednesday, December 10, he entered the $25,000 Super Main Event on the first starting flight.
When approached, the WSOP declined to comment.
Why Was Ren Lin Banned?
Lin's ban seven weeks ago was first discovered after his stack was removed from play in the World Series of Poker Super Circuit Cyprus Main Event.
It soon came to light that during the GGMillion$ on October 14, the winner "RealOA" had shared his screen with Lin during the final table. Less than a week later, in an official statement issued by GGPoker, "RealOA" was permanently banned, while Lin was "indefinitely suspended" from GGPoker, WSOP, and all associated partner platforms.
A day after the suspension, Lin issued an apology, in which he said he was “deeply ashamed and remorseful” and “prepared to accept all penalties.”
He also stressed that he gained “no form of profit from this incident,” clarifying that he “held no stake in any player’s entry, received no payment, and derived no benefit whatsoever.”
As a result $250,523 was seized by GGPoker from the "RealOA's" online wallet. This was short of the $346,903 first-place prize that they took home for winning the GGMillion$, with Lin personally contributing the remaining $96,380 out of his own pocket.
Who is Ren Lin?
Originally from China and now based in New York, Lin is a regular fixture in high roller events worldwide, amassing over $16 million in career live tournament earnings and ranking third on China’s all-time money list.
In 2021, he finished runner-up in Event #85: $50,000 High Roller for $903,610.
His largest victory came in the $50,000 WPT Alpha8 at Wynn Las Vegas in 2023, where he won a career-best seven-figure score of $1,045,781 after defeating an elite final table that included players like Jason Koon and Justin Bonomo.
At least year's WSOP Paradise festival, he finished runner-up to Nick Schulman in the WSOP Paradise Closer Turbo Bounty, a day after an 11th-place finish in the WSOP Paradise Main Event.
PokerNews approached Ren Lin for comment, but they chose not to contribute
