The NBA is taking its global footprint back to Macau as the league prepares to finalize its long-awaited Las Vegas expansion by the end of the year. This weekend, basketball fans in the global gaming enclave will watch two Texas rivals square off in a series of exhibitions, bridging two of the world’s largest gambling destinations.
The Dallas Mavericks and the Houston Rockets face off in games on Friday and Sunday at the 14,000-seat Venetian Arena. The matchups bring significant ownership ties to the forefront: the Mavericks are controlled by Las Vegas Sands’ controlling shareholder Miriam Adelson, while the Rockets are owned by entertainment and gambling mogul Tilman Fertitta.
This weekend’s trip marks only the third time the NBA has played in Macau out of 26 total games held in China since 2004. The league previously played in the market on Oct. 20, 2007, when LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers met Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic at the venue. It took 18 years for the NBA to return, when the Phoenix Suns and Brooklyn Nets played two preseason games there last preseason.
Texas Rivals Bring Star Power to the Venetian Arena
The exhibition series features prominent star power, headlined by two-time Finals MVP Kevin Durant of the Rockets and Cooper Flagg. Flagg was selected No. 1 overall by the Mavericks in the 2025 NBA draft and subsequently claimed the league’s Rookie of the Year award this past season. Nine-time All-Star Kyrie Irving is also set to make his return to the court about 19 months after suffering a torn ACL in March 2025.
Patrick Dumont, who serves as Sands CEO and governor of the Mavericks, is hosting the week’s events at the Venetian Macau property. According to NBA.com, the games provide a platform for Sands to showcase its resort, casino, and arena while allowing the Mavericks to broaden their international fan appeal.
The league has described the venue as “NBA-ready,” though its 14,000-seat capacity would rank last among current facilities. The games arrive as Sands works to offset a nearly 45% plunge in its stock price in 2026 and four consecutive months of year-over-year declines in Macau gaming revenue, with stakeholders looking to sports tourism and the National Day Golden Week holiday to provide a boost.
Historical Ties to China and the Evolution of Sports Betting
The Rockets carry a deep history in the Chinese market, having previously built a massive following in the country behind 7-foot-6 center and Pro Basketball Hall of Famer Yao Ming. Ming was an eight-time All-Star for Houston and later served as president of the Chinese Basketball Association from 2017 to 2024. Market ties were severely strained in 2019 when then-general manager Daryl Morey posted a tweet supporting Hong Kong protesters, leading to a diplomatic rift and a multi-year halt on broadcasts by partners such as Tencent and state broadcaster CCTV.
Fertitta purchased the Rockets in 2017 for $2.2 billion—a league record at the time—with CNBC currently valuing the franchise at roughly $6.3 billion. Meanwhile, ESPN reports that three finalist groups are competing for the upcoming Las Vegas expansion franchise, with bidding estimates reaching $12 billion to $13 billion for the team and a new arena.
The league's deepening relationship with Macau and Las Vegas reflects the move toward legal sports wagering, a movement championed by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. Silver became the first pro sports leader to embrace sports betting in a 2014 New York Times op-ed, calling for a federal regulatory framework four years before the Supreme Court struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) in 2018.
At the same time, the league continues to manage integrity challenges, including the 2024 lifetime ban issued to former Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter over betting violations, alongside an ongoing illegal gambling case moving through New York federal court ahead of the 2026–27 regular season.
What Lies Ahead for Expansion and International Play
As the league finalizes its Las Vegas expansion framework, ownership groups and league executives continue to weigh the balance between global marketing reach and regulatory safeguards. The NBA has maintained distance from prediction markets while prominent players like LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo have endorsed platforms such as Polymarket and Kalshi, prompting the league to submit integrity guidelines to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).
The final approval for the Las Vegas expansion franchise is anticipated before the conclusion of the year, marking a permanent bridge between the NBA and the two premier gaming capitals of the world.
