if they are good at poker, they could easily win back more than they lost to wager $50k (that if yeet doesn't change the requirement again).
I believe that this wagering requirement has deterred many users. However, for those who already have a gold rank, this is definitely a good thing, as there should be less competition in these tournaments and, accordingly, it will be easier to win prizes. So yes, I agree that it will probably be easy to recoup the losses incurred in achieving gold rank by participating in these tournaments.