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NBA to host pre-season video games in Macau from 2025
Deal marks NBA's return to China after 2019 debate
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Macau casinos intending to increase non-gaming profits
(Rewrites to include context that deal marks NBA's return to China)
By Farah Master
HONG KONG, Dec 6 (Reuters) - The National Basketball Association (NBA) has actually signed a multiyear deal to play pre-season video games in Macau from 2025, marking the league's go back to the Chinese market after a years-long absence that followed controversy over the 2019 Hong Kong demonstrations.
Local media priced quote NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum as stating the NBA would host two pre-season games each year for the next five years at gambling establishment operator Sands China's Venetian arena in Macau, an unique administrative region of China. The very first video games, arranged for October of next year, will pit the Brooklyn Nets against the Phoenix Suns.
A source familiar with the matter verified the regional media reports of the deal. The NBA did not right away react to an ask for remark.
Although China has just recently hosted NBA legends star games, consisting of one set up for Saturday at the Venetian property, the pre-season offer will mark a return of frequently set up NBA play to China.
The NBA's lack followed a firestorm of debate around comments five years back by the Houston Rockets' then-General Manager Daryl Morey, who published a message on social media in support of anti-government demonstrations in Hong Kong.
Beijing suspended the broadcast of NBA games following that event, prompting business sponsors to get away and the league to suffer what it described at the time as remarkable financial effects. Pre-season NBA video games in China were also ditched.
In February, Joe Tsai, owner of the Brooklyn Nets basketball team and chairman of Chinese tech company Alibaba, stated the occurrence was water under the bridge and that the NBA would love to bring video games back to China and Macau.
Macau is the only location in China where citizens have the ability to legally gamble in gambling establishments.
Its government and Beijing have been prompting the 6 certified gambling establishments - Wynn Macau, Sands China, SJM Holdings, Galaxy Entertainment, Melco and MGM China - to increase their percentage of income from non-gaming.
Macau's economy is greatly depending on the casino market, which contributes around 80% of local tax revenue.
In 2015, Macau's federal government rolled out its first blueprint centred on a technique where tourism and leisure are the main pillars, supported by emerging industries such as traditional Chinese medicine, health, financial services and technology, along with conventions, exhibitions, trade, culture and sports.
It intends for non-gaming markets to represent around 60% of Macau's GDP by 2028 versus 50% pre-pandemic in 2019.
(Reporting by Farah Master; Additional reporting by Brenda Goh; Editing by Shri Navaratnam, Nicholas Yong and Edmund Klamann)
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