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FASTSIGNS® Earns 14-Year Franchisees’ Choice Designation and Seventh Silver Award of Excellence Recognition from Canadian Franchise Association

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Dual honors highlight strong franchisee satisfaction and system-wide performance across Canada

OTTAWA, ON, April 23, 2026 /CNW/ — FASTSIGNS®, the leader in the custom signs and visual solutions industry, has been recognized by the Canadian Franchise Association (CFA) with two prestigious honors at the 2026 CFA National Convention in Ottawa, Ontario, earning the Franchisees’ Choice Designation for the 14th consecutive year and its seventh Silver Award of Excellence in the Traditional Franchises (30–99 locations) category.

Widely regarded as one of the highest honors in Canadian franchising, the CFA Awards of Excellence recognize brands that excel in building strong franchise relationships through effective leadership, comprehensive training and consistent communication. This year’s franchisee survey evaluated overall satisfaction and system performance among participating CFA member brands.

Additionally, the Franchisees’ Choice Designation is based on independently administered surveys measuring franchisee satisfaction across key areas including leadership, training, communication, marketing and overall support. This year marks the 14th consecutive year FASTSIGNS has earned the distinction, underscoring FASTSIGNS’ strong franchisee performance and consistent brand growth across Canada.

“Receiving both the Franchisees’ Choice Designation and being recognized with an Award of Excellence is incredibly meaningful because it reflects both the voice of our franchisees and the overall performance of our system,” said Mark Jameson, chief development officer at Propelled Brands. “For 14 years, our franchisees have consistently shared positive feedback about the support they receive, and this additional recognition reinforces the strength of our model as we continue to grow across Canada.”

FASTSIGNS continues to expand its footprint across Canada, with over 30 centers serving markets including Winnipeg, Edmonton, Calgary, Toronto and Vancouver. The brand is actively targeting further growth through both new franchise opportunities and conversion programs, which allow independent business owners to transition into the FASTSIGNS system and expand their capabilities in the fast-growing visual communications space.

“I looked at several franchise concepts, including food and retail, but FASTSIGNS stood out for a few crucial reasons,” said Kevin Khan, co-owner of FASTSIGNS of North East Calgary and an upcoming Edmonton, Alberta center.”Its B2B (business-to-business) model means we operate on professional Monday-through-Friday business hours, which was huge for my work-life balance. Additionally, FASTSIGNS is an industry leader with phenomenal brand recognition, an incredible corporate support system, and cutting-edge technology. They gave me a proven playbook; I just had to execute it.”

The total investment for a FASTSIGNS franchise is approximately $248,083 – $344,624, including a $49,750 franchise fee. As a member of VetFran, the brand offers a special incentive for veterans and first responders, which includes a 50% reduction on the franchise fee – a savings of $24,875.

For information about the FASTSIGNS franchise opportunity, contact Mark Jameson (mark.jameson@propelledbrands.com or 214-346-5679) or visit https://www.fastsigns.com.

About FASTSIGNS®:

FASTSIGNS® is the leader in the custom signs and visual solutions industry. With over 40 years of experience, FASTSIGNS helps customers bring their vision to life and achieve more than they ever thought possible. As the largest service-oriented business within the Propelled Brands® family, FASTSIGNS spans over 790 independently owned and operated centers across the United States, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, the United Kingdom, Canada, Chile, Grand Cayman, Malta, and Australia (where centers operate as SIGNWAVE®).

FASTSIGNS is frequently recognized for franchisee satisfaction and with awards that include being ranked #1 in its category on ENTREPRENEUR’s highly competitive Franchise 500® List in 2026 for the tenth consecutive year, and continuous recognition from Franchise Business Review in categories such as Top Franchises for Culture, Women, Veterans and more.

SOURCE FASTSIGNS International, Inc.

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Brightstar Lottery PLC Announces Successful Pricing of €500,000,000 of Senior Secured Notes Due 2032

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LONDON, Sept. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Brightstar Lottery PLC (NYSE: BRSL) (“Brightstar”) announced the successful pricing of €500,000,000 4.875% Senior Secured Notes due 2032 to be issued by Brightstar and to be guaranteed on a senior basis by certain of Brightstar’s wholly‑owned subsidiaries (the “Notes”). The Notes were priced at 99.360% of their nominal amount. Application has been made for the Notes to be listed on the Official List of Euronext Dublin and admitted to trading on the Global Exchange Market of Euronext Dublin.

Settlement of the Notes is subject to customary market and other closing conditions and is expected to occur on September 17, 2026.

Brightstar intends to use the gross proceeds from the sale of the Notes (i) to pay the purchase price for the Regulation S interests in its outstanding 2.375% Senior Secured Notes due 2028 pursuant to the tender offer announced by Brightstar on September 8, 2026 (the “Tender Offer”) and accrued and unpaid interest thereon, (ii) to repay utilizations under its senior revolving credit facilities and (iii) to pay fees and expenses incurred in connection with the offering (the “Offering”) and sale of the Notes and the tender offer.

The Notes are not being, and will not be, offered or sold in the United States. Nothing in the offering memorandum relating to the Offering (the “Offering Memorandum”) constitutes an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the Notes in the United States or any other jurisdiction. The Notes may not be offered, sold or delivered in the United States absent registration under, or an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). The Notes have not been, and will not be, registered under the Securities Act or the securities laws of any state or other jurisdiction of the United States and may not be offered, sold or delivered, directly or indirectly, within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. Persons (as defined in Regulation S under the Securities Act).

MiFID II Product Governance / Professional Investors and ECPs Only Target Market – Manufacturer target market (MiFID II product governance) is eligible counterparties and professional clients only (all distribution channels). No key information document has been prepared as the Notes are not available to retail investors in the European Economic Area (the “EEA”).

The Notes are not intended to be offered, sold or otherwise made available to and should not be offered, sold or otherwise made available to any retail investor in the EEA. For these purposes, a retail investor means a person who is one (or more) of: (i) a retail client as defined in point (11) of MiFID II; or (ii) a customer within the meaning of Directive (EU) 2016/97, where that customer would not qualify as a professional client as defined in point (10) of Article 4(1) of MiFID II. Consequently, no key information document required by Regulation (EU) No 1286/2014 (as amended, the “PRIIPs Regulation”) for offering or selling the Notes or otherwise making them available to retail investors in the EEA has been prepared and therefore offering or selling the Notes or otherwise making them available to any retail investor in the EEA may be unlawful under the PRIIPs Regulation.

U.K. MiFIR Product Governance / Professional Investors and ECPs Only Target Market – Manufacturer target market (UK MiFIR product governance) is eligible counterparties and professional clients only (all distribution channels). No disclosure document has been prepared as the Notes are not available to retail investors in the United Kingdom.

The Notes are not intended to be offered, sold, distributed or otherwise made available to and should not be offered, sold, distributed or otherwise made available to, any retail investor in the United Kingdom. For these purposes, a retail investor means a person who is either one (or both) of the following: (i) not a professional client as defined in point (8) of Article 2(1) of Regulation (EU) No 600/2014 as it forms part of domestic law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (“EUWA”); or (ii) not a “qualified investor” as defined in paragraph 15 of Schedule 1 of the Public Offers and Admissions to Trading Regulations 2024. Consequently, no disclosure document required by the FCA Product Disclosure Sourcebook (“DISC”) for offering, selling or distributing the Notes or otherwise making them available to retail investors in the United Kingdom may be unlawful under DISC and the Consumer Composite Investments (Designated Activities) Regulations 2024. References to Regulations or Directives include, in relation to the United Kingdom, those Regulations or Directives as they form part of United Kingdom domestic law by virtue of the EUWA or have been implemented in United Kingdom domestic law, as appropriate.

No action has been or will be taken in any jurisdiction in relation to the Notes to permit a public offering of securities.

OFFER AND DISTRIBUTION RESTRICTIONS

Neither this news release nor the Offering Memorandum constitutes an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any security, nor shall there be any sale of any security in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of such jurisdiction.

The distribution of this news release and the Offering Memorandum into certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law. Persons into whose possession this news release comes should inform themselves about and observe any such restrictions. Any failure to comply with these restrictions may constitute a violation of the securities laws of any such jurisdiction.

United Kingdom

The communication of this news release, the Offering Memorandum and any other documents or materials relating thereto is not being made, and such documents or materials have not been approved, by an authorized person for the purposes of Section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, as amended (the “FSMA”). Accordingly, such documents or materials are not being distributed to, and must not be passed on to, the general public in the United Kingdom. The communication of such documents or materials is exempt from the restriction on financial promotions under Section 21 of the FSMA on the basis that it is only directed at and may be communicated to (i) persons who have professional experience in matters relating to investments, being investment professionals as defined in Article 19 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the “Financial Promotion Order”); (ii) persons who fall within Article 43(2) of the Financial Promotion Order; or (iii) any other persons to whom these documents or materials may lawfully be made under the Financial Promotion Order. Any investment or investment activity to which this news release or the Offering Memorandum relates is available only to such persons or will be engaged only with such persons and other persons should not rely on it.

European Economic Area

In member states of the EEA, this news release and the Offering Memorandum is only addressed to and directed at persons who are “qualified investors” within the meaning of Article 2(e) Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 (as amended), together with any applicable implementing measures in any Member State. The Notes are only available to, and any invitation, offer or agreement to subscribe, purchase or otherwise acquire such securities will be engaged in only with qualified investors. This news release should not be acted upon or relied upon in any member state of the EEA by persons who are not qualified investors.

Italy

None of the Offering, this news release or any other document or materials relating to the Offering have been or will be submitted to the clearance procedures of the Commissione Nazionale per le Società e la Borsa (“CONSOB”) pursuant to Italian laws and regulations. The Offering is being carried out in Italy as an exempted offer pursuant to Article 101-bis, paragraph 3-bis of Legislative Decree No. 58 of February 24, 1998, as amended, and Article 35-bis, paragraph 3 of CONSOB Regulation No. 11971 of 14 May 1999, as amended.

About Brightstar Lottery PLC

Brightstar Lottery PLC (NYSE:BRSL) is a global leader in lottery focused on innovation and forward-thinking strategies and solutions, building on our renowned expertise in delivering secure technology and producing reliable, comprehensive solutions for our customers. As a premier pure play global lottery company, our best-in-class lottery operations, retail and digital solutions, and award-winning lottery games enable our customers to achieve their goals, entertain players and distribute meaningful benefits to communities. Brightstar has a well-established local presence and is a trusted partner to governments and regulators around the world, creating value by adhering to the highest standards of service, integrity, and responsibility. Brightstar serves nearly 90 lottery customers and their players on six continents. It is the primary technology provider to 26 of the 46 lottery jurisdictions in the U.S. and eight of the world’s 10 largest lotteries with central systems. Brightstar has approximately 6,000 employees. For more information, please visit www.brightstarlottery.com.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements (including within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) concerning Brightstar Lottery PLC and its consolidated subsidiaries (the “Company”) and other matters. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this news release that address activities, events or developments that the Company expects, believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements may be accompanied by words such as “aim,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “plan,” “could,” “would,” “should,” “shall,” “continue,” “estimate,” “expect,” “forecast,” “future,” “guidance,” “intend,” “may,” “will,” “possible,” “potential,” “predict,” “project” or the negative or other variations of them. However, the absence of these words does not mean that the statements are not forward-looking. These forward-looking statements represent management’s good faith expectations, projections, guidance or beliefs concerning future events, and it is possible that the results described in this news release will not be achieved. Specifically, the Company cannot assure you that the proposed transactions described above, including the successful completion of the Offering and the Tender Offer or, in the case of the Offering, will be made on the terms the Company currently contemplates, if at all. Information concerning these risks and other factors can be found in the Offering Memorandum and the tender offer memorandum with respect to the Tender Offer and the documents filed or furnished by the Company from time to time with the SEC, including the Company’s latest annual report on Form 20-F, which are available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov and on the investor relations section of the Company’s website at www.brightstarlottery.com. Except as required under applicable law, the Company does not assume any obligation to update these forward-looking statements. You should carefully consider these factors and other risks and uncertainties that may affect the Company’s business. All forward-looking statements contained in this news release are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. All subsequent written or oral forward-looking statements attributable to the Company, or persons acting on its behalf, are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement.

Contact:
Mike DeAngelis, Corporate Communications, +1 (401) 392-1000,
mike.deangelis@brightstarlottery.com
Matteo Selva, Italian media inquiries, +39 366 6803635
James Hurley, Investor Relations, +1 (401) 392-7190

© 2026 Brightstar Lottery PLC

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SOURCE Brightstar Lottery PLC

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Straits Financial Services Pte Ltd Successfully Participates in First Trades of SGX McCloskey FOB Australia Hard Coking Coal Futures

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SINGAPORE, Sept. 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Straits Financial Services Pte Ltd (SFSPL), a member of Straits Financial Group, is pleased to announce its successful participation in the first trades of the SGX McCloskey FOB Australia Hard Coking Coal Futures, marking an important milestone in the development of risk management solutions for the global metallurgical coal market.

Straits Financial Services’ participation in the inaugural trades reflects its continued commitment to supporting the development of commodity derivatives markets and providing clients with access to a broad range of exchange-traded risk management solutions.

The new contract further strengthens the suite of commodity products available to participants across the steelmaking value chain, including producers, traders, consumers and financial institutions. By providing a transparent and centrally cleared marketplace, the contract can support price discovery and help market participants manage exposure to fluctuations in hard coking coal prices, a critical raw material in global steel production.

Mr Roger Quek, CEO and MD of SFSPL said: “As commodity markets continue to evolve, access to transparent and liquid derivatives instruments is increasingly important for participants looking to manage price risk effectively. We look forward to supporting the growth of this market and continuing to connect our clients with opportunities across global commodity markets.”

Participation in the inaugural SGX McCloskey FOB Australia Hard Coking Coal Futures trades further demonstrates Straits Financial Services’ commitment to supporting product innovation and the continued development of Asia’s commodity derivatives ecosystem.

About Straits Financial Services Pte Ltd

At Straits Financial Services Pte Ltd, we distinguish ourselves by promoting key and innovative contracts to support the financial and commodity derivative markets as well as providing products and services to fulfill the needs of every trader.

With a strong presence in Asia and a deep understanding of the global markets, we provide value to our clients by enabling global access with a local perspective. Established in 2010, Straits Financial Services Pte Ltd is part of Straits Financial Group which is headquartered in Singapore.

Straits Financial Services Pte Ltd provides a fully integrated service for our clients to access the financial and commodity derivative markets and we strive to build lasting relationships with our clients.

For more information, please visit our website at https://www.straitsfinancial.com.

This document is issued for information purposes only. This document is not intended and should not under any circumstances to be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell, nor financial advice or recommendation in relation to any capital market product. All the information contained herein is based on publicly available information and has been obtained from sources that Straits Financial Services Pte Ltd believes to be reliable and correct at the time of publishing this document.

Straits Financial Services Pte Ltd will not be liable for any loss or damage of any kind (whether direct, indirect or consequential losses or other economic loss of any kind) suffered due to any omission, error, inaccuracy, incompleteness, or otherwise, any reliance on such information. Past performance or historical record of futures contracts, derivatives contracts, and commodities is not indicative of the future performance. The information in this document is subject to change without notice.

If after reading the foregoing content you have any doubts in relation thereto, please consult your own independent legal, financial and/or professional adviser.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/straits-financial-services-pte-ltd-successfully-participates-in-first-trades-of-sgx-mccloskey-fob-australia-hard-coking-coal-futures-302873622.html

SOURCE Straits Financial

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Sandbox VR Continues to Expand Across Australia with a New Melbourne Venue, Opening September 14

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Sandbox VR brings the ‘best virtual reality experience on the planet’ to Melbourne

MELBOURNE, Australia, Sept. 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Sandbox VR, the world’s premier venue for virtual reality experiences, is set to open its newest location in Melbourne’s vibrant Central Business District. This new location on Bourke Street in Melbourne joins Sandbox VR’s first Australian location on the Gold Coast. Guests can take advantage of a limited-time presale offer of 25% off through September 13 at https://sandboxvr.com/au/melbourne/bourke-street. With nearly 150K players monthly, Sandbox VR is rapidly growing its global footprint with thriving corporate-owned locations and a robust franchising program.

Sandbox VR’s Melbourne venue features a bar, party room and four private rooms where groups of up to six guests suit up with headsets, haptic vests and motion sensors for full-body immersion. The technology allows players to see and physically interact with one another, creating the feeling of living inside the action together. After each experience, guests receive personalised highlight videos to relive and share their adventures. The result is an active, memorable alternative to a conventional night out for friends, families and corporate groups.

“Melbourne is renowned as Australia’s cultural and entertainment capital, with its world-class food, coffee culture, arts, sporting events and vibrant nightlife,” said Bao Phung, Owner of Sandbox VR Melbourne & Gold Coast. “Following the success of our Gold Coast location, we’re incredibly excited to bring Sandbox VR to Melbourne and introduce a completely new form of immersive entertainment. It gives friends, families and corporate groups an active, memorable alternative to a conventional night out, where they can step into another world and experience the action together. Melbourne has always embraced innovation and new experiences, making it a natural home for Sandbox VR and the next chapter of our Australian growth.”

“Melbourne is an important next step in Sandbox VR’s Australian growth story. Bao, Keith and the wider team have built strong momentum for the brand on the Gold Coast, and Melbourne represents the next chapter as they bring our world-leading immersive entertainment to a new audience,” said Senior Director, Global Franchise Operations, Sandbox VR. “As a city that embraces culture, sport and new experiences, Melbourne is a natural fit for Sandbox VR and the memorable group outings it creates.”

Sandbox VR operates both corporate-owned locations and a robust franchise program, and recently hit $300M in lifetime sales while scaling to more than 90 global locations across five continents and 12 countries since launching in 2016. The company is redefining group entertainment with immersive experiences that transform any outing into lasting memories. Built by a team of veteran developers from EA, Sony, and Ubisoft, Sandbox VR delivers full-body immersion through exclusive content and original experiences, including the recently launched Stranger Things: Catalyst, in collaboration with Netflix, and the new Age of Dinosaurs experience in partnership with the Natural History Museum of London and leading dinosaur experts.

Sandbox VR provides an unparalleled entertainment experience with over 250,000 five-star reviews from guests worldwide. With over 6 million lifetime tickets sold across five continents, the company has established itself as the global leader in location-based virtual reality. Sandbox VR is backed by Andreessen Horowitz, Alibaba Entrepreneurs Fund, Gobi Partners, Craft, and Stanford University, along with individuals such as Kevin Durant, Justin Timberlake, and Katy Perry.

To learn more about Sandbox VR, visit https://sandboxvr.com/au/melbourne/bourke-street.

ABOUT SANDBOX VR

Sandbox VR is the world’s premier destination for location-based virtual reality experiences. Operating across 90+ venues around the globe through a robust franchise and corporate-owned model, Sandbox VR attracts nearly 150,000 guests each month. Sandbox VR provides guests the opportunity to step out of everyday reality into unforgettable adventures through exhilarating, group-play immersive experiences. Using a proprietary full-body VR platform, the company develops original and licensed content, including exclusive experiences like Stranger Things: Catalyst and Squid Game Virtuals in collaboration with Netflix, and the Sandbox VR original Deadwood series. With over 6 million tickets sold worldwide, Sandbox VR has become the leader in immersive entertainment, combining premium technology with emotionally engaging storytelling. Recognized as one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies and a two-time honoree on the Inc. 5000 list of America’s fastest-growing private companies, Sandbox VR is headquartered in San Francisco with offices in Hong Kong and Vancouver. The company has raised over $138 million from investors, including Andreessen Horowitz, Alibaba Entrepreneurs Fund, Gobi Partners, and Craft, with individual backers including Justin Timberlake, Kevin Durant, and Will Smith.

Media Contact:
Media@SandboxVR.com

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SOURCE Sandbox VR

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