Chip Race Podcast Hosts Quit WPT Global After Ren Lin Signing
WPT Global’s ambassador lineup continued to have more notable shake-ups, as Irish poker figures David Lappin and Dara O’Kearney have ended their partnership with the online poker room following the signing of controversial poker player Tony “Ren” Lin.
Lin was announced as a new WPT Global ambassador earlier this week, while Lappin and O’Kearney, the hosts of the award-winning Chip Race podcast, have confirmed they are stepping away from the brand just months after joining.
The Irish duo only signed with WPT Global in June 2025, bringing the Chip Race podcast, Lock-Ins, and strategy content under the site’s sponsorship. That relationship has now ended, with Lappin and O’Kearney citing irreconcilable differences over Lin’s appointment.
"We Are Parting Ways with WPT Global"
In a statement posted on X and co-signed by both hosts, Lappin and O’Kearney explained their decision.
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.
We obviously do not have an immediate plan for the future but we sincerely hope to be back with Chip Race episodes, Lock-Ins and strategy videos in the very near future.
Dara O’Kearney David Lappin
Lappin later expanded on that decision in an exclusive comment to PokerNews.
“It’s extremely disappointing for the partnership to end this way but Dara and I were left with no choice,” Lappin said. “Signing Ren Lin was a clear line for us and we made that transparent to the people at WPT Global.”
Ren Lin Signing Irks Poker Community
Lin joined WPT Global as a high-profile addition to an ambassador roster that already includes Phil Ivey, Nacho Barbero,Fintan Hand, and Pete Chen. Lin arrived at WPT Global after previously representing GGPoker, however, his signing has caused a stir due to a well-documented cheating scandal from late 2025.
Lin was disqualified from the WSOP Super Circuit Main Event in Cyprus after giving prohibited real-time assistance (RTA) to a friend at online final table. The incident resulted in multiple sanctions, including an indefinite suspension for Lin from both GGPoker and World Series of Poker events.
Lin subsequently lost his GGPoker sponsorship but returned to the live circuit just seven weeks later at WSOP Paradise.
WPT Global released a statement defending its decision to sign Lin, saying: “We select ambassadors based on proven performance and results, not follower counts. Others may prioritize influence. We stand apart. We’ll be working with Tony to share more of his side of the story soon.”
“Tony has openly addressed past controversies, taken full responsibility for his actions, and accepted the consequences with humility," the site said. "His willingness to learn, improve, and move forward demonstrates a maturity that aligns with our values.”
For now, WPT Global moves forward with Lin as a new ambassador, while Lappin and O’Kearney step away with plans to relaunch Chip Race content independently in the near future.
