Sportsbet and Tabcorp continue to dominate Australian online betting brand recognition, according to a new survey by Global Reviews.

The customer research firm says Paddy Power’s Aussie division Sportsbet and Tabcorp’s Tab.com site rule the brand recognition roost, with Sportsbet just south of 70% and TAB around 65%. The results are similar to Global Reviews’ previous surveys, which also found the two brands dramatically outpacing their local rivals.

Global Reviews commercial director Che Carbis said the results weren’t surprising, given the amount of consolidation and rebranding in the Aussie online business. Tatts Group recently rebranded its online sites under the new UBET moniker, while William Hill is in the process of amalgamating its Sportingbet, Centrebet and TomWaterhouse.com sites under the William Hill Australia umbrella.

Hills’ own brand has improved markedly from a year ago, although its recognition is still only around 10%. Meanwhile, the decreased promotion of TomWaterhouse.com has reduced its recognition by 10 points to 25%, while Centrebet fell by around half to 7% and the now defunct Sportingbet brand fell from 20% to just 6%.

Macau casino operator Galaxy Entertainment Group (GEG) saw profits fall two-thirds in H1 2015, a result the company called “credible” given the market’s “challenging environment.”

Revenue in the first six months of the year fell 34% to HKD 25.4b (US $3.27b), while adjusted earnings fell 43% to HKD 4.2b and net profit fell 66% to HKD 2b. Profit was laid low by HKD 1b in non-recurring charges related to the opening of Galaxy Macau’s Phase Two as well as gaming operations having “played unlucky,” which reduced profits by HKD 265m.

Galaxy Macau’s Phase Two was only open for 35 days in H1 but GEG says the launch was “well received” and “the majority if not all” of the property’s gaming and retail offerings will be open before the year is through.

GEG’s flagship property reported revenue down 31% to HKD 17.2b in H1, while earnings fell 41% to HKD 3.2b. VIP turnover was down 43% and net win fell 40% to HKD 8.3b, as hold fell 0.4 points to 3.2% in the second quarter. Galaxy Macau’s mass market table drop fell a comparatively mild 12% while net win was down 15% to HKD 3b. Electronic gaming revenue fell 13% to HKD 694m and non-gaming revenue dipped 15% to HKD 853m.

Baltimore-based Cordish Gaming is being hunted by racism allegations from its other developments in Louisville, Kentucky, and Kansas City, as it plans to build a casino in Philadelphia.

Cordish Gaming presented an overview of its master plan for its Live Hotel and Casino to Philadelphia Planning Commission on Tuesday. The $425m proposal for the south side’s stadium district includes 2,000 slots and electronic gaming tables, restaurants, and a multi-level parking garage that can accommodate 3000 vehicles, double the 1800 parking space required by the commission.

During the informational-only presentation, Pennsylvania chapter of the National Action Network Chairwoman Paula Peebles brought up the discrimination lawsuits against the casino’s developer and Philly leaders’ lack of concern for the lawsuits.

“Racial discrimination that has been indicated by 24 former employees regarding the former Cordish casinos at their Live! facilities in Louisville, Kentucky, in Kansas City, St. Louis, other places.”

Security and ID provisions software provider GBG has signed a global ID verification partnership with online gambling software outfit Playtech.

Under the deal, GBG will service Playtech’s 120 global licensee network with customer ID verification and security technology through its IMS platform, ensuring that a number of Playtech’s customers are offered instant access to identity intelligence solutions without the need for further integration or technical infrastructure.

Adding GBG’s ID verification tools to Playtech’s core IMS player management platform means that Playtech global licensees can also perform identity verification across more than 4.3 billion global individuals, supporting future growth and ensuring responsible gaming at all levels and jurisdictions.

“It is our goal to support our operators with true end-to-end, Omni-Channel solutions, offering a seamless player experience across all channels and devices. We partner with the very best in our industry to ensure our licensees can immediately and securely integrate with the most robust and innovative tools available,” said Playtech COO Shimon Akad. “That service begins with player onboarding but also includes campaign management, fraud and risk management and transaction monitoring. Working with GBG, we are able to offer the best identity intelligence solutions on the market.

The South Australian government has drafted a contingency plan in case SkyCity abandons its AUD350 million Adelaide casino expansion.

On Tuesday, South Australian officials released its AUD220 million overhaul plan, prepared for the Adelaide Riverbank Authority board meeting on 27 July 2015, showing development options for the space to the north of the Adelaide Casino.

The concept development plans show a number of low-rise options for the area, which the government sees as a key part of its Festival Plaza redevelopment.

“If they [SkyCity] choose not to go ahead with it then we need to be ready to have a plan B and the only thing that’s unacceptable really in the medium term is for there to be no decision at all about that space,” said Planning Minister John Rau. “So I’d be encouraging the casino management to be making a decision as soon as possible.”