On October 20, 2007, LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers faced off against Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic in a preseason match in Macau, marking the NBA's inaugural game in the renowned gaming hub. Now, two Texas teams, the Dallas Mavericks and the Houston Rockets, are set to compete in Macau, bringing NBA action back for a series of exhibition games this weekend.
Scheduled for Friday and Sunday, the games will engage local fans as the Mavericks, owned by Las Vegas Sands’ majority shareholder Miriam Adelson, take on Tilman Fertitta's Rockets. Fertitta, a notable player in the gambling and entertainment arenas, recently made headlines with his acquisition of Caesars Entertainment for $17.6 billion.
Though there have been 26 NBA China games since 2004, only three have occurred in Macau. After the Cavaliers-Magic matchup, fans had to wait 18 years until last preseason when the Phoenix Suns and Brooklyn Nets also showcased their talents there. The majority of these NBA events in China have taken place in cities like Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen.
This year's exhibition promises star-studded appearances, including two-time Finals MVP Kevin Durant from the Rockets and Cooper Flagg, who was selected first overall by the Mavericks in 2025 and was named Rookie of the Year this past season. Another highlight includes nine-time All-Star Kyrie Irving, returning to the court after a significant injury in March 2025, sidelining him for nearly 19 months.
The NBA's expansion plans to Las Vegas are nearing conclusion, with an expected finalization by the year's end. Earlier this year, the Mavericks’ front office stirred controversy by trading All-NBA guard Luka Doncic, leading to speculation that the team might relocate to Las Vegas, home to Sands, which currently operates no casinos in that area. However, those rumors were swiftly dismissed by the Mavericks.
This week’s events are primarily hosted by Patrick Dumont, CEO of Sands and governor of the Mavericks, at the Venetian Macau, a venue they are keen to showcase. According to NBA.com, the trip aims to promote the Venetian resort, casino, and its arena, as well as enhance the Mavericks' brand and reach out to a wider audience. The league noted that this Macau connection serves as a significant marketing tool for NBA, while Sands hopes to expand its brand reach alongside the Mavericks.
The Venetian Arena, which opened just two months before the Cavaliers-Magic game, is now approaching its 20-year anniversary. Although labeled as “NBA-ready,” it has the smallest capacity among current venues at 14,000 seats.
Sands, the world’s largest casino operator, has seen its stock drop nearly 45% in 2026, and Macau’s gaming revenue has seen a decline for four consecutive months. However, stakeholders are hopeful that the NBA events coupled with the National Day Golden Week holiday, which celebrates the founding of the People’s Republic of China on October 1, will stimulate tourist interest.
Given the NBA’s strong ties to gambling, its ventures into Macau and Las Vegas align with the league’s history in this arena. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver championed sports betting in 2014 with a high-profile op-ed in the New York Times advocating for legalized betting in the U.S. His stance on the issue came four years prior to a pivotal Supreme Court ruling that overturned federal bans on sports betting.
“There should be a federal framework that allows states to authorize betting on professional sports, subject to strict regulatory requirements,” Silver expressed in his article twelve years ago.
Currently, betting has become an essential aspect of the NBA, particularly following recent scandals. In 2024, the league handed out its first lifetime ban to former Raptors player Jontay Porter for involvement in a betting scandal, while an ongoing illegal betting investigation involving several former players unfolds in New York courts as the 2026-27 regular season approaches.
While the NBA has refrained from entering partnerships with prediction markets—a shift some other leagues have made—prominent players like LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo have supported such platforms, creating controversy. Recently, the league reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining integrity in sports betting, even urging the CFTC to consider these aspects in proposed prediction market regulations. Silver remarked on the necessary balance between entertainment and responsible betting controls in July, acknowledging the gambling environment's potential risks.
The Rockets, alongside the Mavericks, bring historical ties to China, having once been the favored NBA team due to star center Yao Ming. A prominent figure who played for the Rockets and was inducted into the Hall of Fame, Ming served as president of the Chinese Basketball Association from 2017 to 2024.
In 2019, a diplomatic crisis arose when then-Rockets GM Daryl Morey tweeted in support of Hong Kong anti-government protests, resulting in significant backlash from Chinese businesses, leading to a halt in broadcasting of Rockets games and a substantial revenue loss for the NBA. After a six-year hiatus from China, the league returned last year when the Suns and Nets played in Macau.
Fertitta purchased the Rockets in 2017 for a league-record $2.2 billion, with CNBC estimating the current valuation around $6.3 billion. With three finalist groups now competing for the Las Vegas expansion franchise, the bidding for a new team and arena is projected to reach $12-$13 billion.
