NBA returns to China after six-year absence | AGB

Summary

The NBA has returned to China for the first time since 2019 with the Brooklyn Nets and Phoenix Suns staged for two sold-out pre-season games at the Venetian Arena in Macau on 10 and 12 October 2025. The event, billed as NBA Macao Games 2025 and presented by Taobao 88VIP, includes a week of fan events, community programmes and the launch of the first NBA House in Macau. Ten NBA legends and WNBA champion Myisha Hines-Allen will run clinics and community activities, while Chinese guard Yongxi Cui — signed by the Nets — is a highlighted local draw. The games form part of a five-year partnership with Sands China as the league seeks to deepen ties with Chinese fans amid a delicate US–China political backdrop.

Key Points

NBA Macao Games 2025 features Brooklyn Nets vs Phoenix Suns in two sold-out preseason matches at the Venetian Arena.
Event includes fan-facing activities: youth clinics, school visits, charity initiatives and the inaugural NBA House in Macau.
Ten NBA legends and WNBA champion Myisha Hines-Allen will lead clinics and community outreach.
Yongxi Cui, a 21-year-old Chinese guard with the Nets, is a major local attraction for fans.
The games sit within a five-year partnership with Sands China as part of the NBA’s Asian expansion strategy.
Staging the matches in Macau is seen as a “soft landing” amid sensitive US–China relations and underscores China’s importance as a market.
The return coincides with regional developments such as the pending legalisation of basketball betting in Hong Kong, relevant to the sports-betting sector.

Why should I read this?

Because this isn’t just sport — it’s a strategic play. The NBA’s return to China signals renewed commercial momentum, big fan engagement in Macau and fresh opportunities for partners and the betting industry. If you care about Asian sports markets, gambling regulation updates or brand partnerships in Greater China, this is worth a quick skim — we did the legwork for you.