WPT Global Ambassador Deal Offers Nacho Barbero ‘A New Beginning’
Summary
Nacho Barbero has signed on as an ambassador for WPT Global after parting ways with ACR earlier in 2025. Barbero calls the move “a fresh start” and accepts responsibility for his exit from ACR. He praises WPT Global’s global reach, innovative cash-game formats (deep stacks, unusual blind/ante structures) and growing tournament schedule. At the Triton Super High Roller Series in Jeju he reiterated his admiration for high-quality live events and said he plans to scale back high-stakes PLO cash-game play for lifestyle reasons while still promoting mixed games.
Key Points
- Barbero left ACR earlier this year and describes the WPT Global deal as “a new beginning.”
- He praises WPT Global for broad global availability (not in the US) and for varied cash-game formats that he finds soft and enjoyable.
- Barbero highlights Triton events as top-notch — venues, hospitality and the recreational-player experience.
- He intends to step back from heavy high-stakes PLO cash games for lifestyle reasons but will continue to play and promote mixed games.
- At Triton Jeju he had limited tournament success: one smaller cash in the Mystery Bounty and a 26th-place finish in a $30,000 event for $53,000; he did not cash in the $25,000 WPT Global Slam he represented.
- The partnership positions Barbero to rebuild his public profile after the ACR controversy and helps WPT Global reinforce its ambassador roster.
Content Summary
After a public split with ACR, Barbero accepted an ambassador role with WPT Global, a platform launched in 2022 that now operates in over a hundred countries. He credits the site with strong cash games and inventive formats, and says the change feels like a proper restart. Barbero also praised the Triton Super High Roller Series experience in Jeju and noted that, while he still swings large amounts at mixed-game tables, he’s reducing his involvement in the private, high-stakes PLO scene for personal reasons.
Context and Relevance
This story matters to followers of high-stakes poker and the online-room sponsorship landscape. WPT Global’s continued expansion and its role as Triton Poker’s title sponsor make this partnership notable: it signals WPT Global’s push to strengthen brand recognition with recognised pros, and Barbero’s move illustrates how players can rehabilitate their public image via visible tour and platform ties. It also touches on broader trends: evolving cash-game structures, the commercial importance of ambassadors, and a growing emphasis on player welfare and lifestyle choices among top pros.
Author style
Punchy: this piece cuts straight to the point — Barbero owns his mistakes, signs with a rising global room, and aims to reset his career while advocating mixed games. If you follow player sponsorships or high-stakes circuits, it’s worth the read.
Why should I read this
Want the quick version? Nacho fessed up, got a fresh deal, and might change how (and where) he plays — which could shift things in both online-room promo lineups and the live high-stakes scene. It’s short, it’s interesting, and it explains what this move means for Barbero and WPT Global without the fluff.