Gold-themed £100 jackpot fruit machine inside the Athletic Arms, known as Diggers, in Edinburgh, Scotland. harms and addiction risks

Gold-themed £100 jackpot fruit machine inside the Athletic Arms, known as Diggers, in Edinburgh, Scotland. harms and addiction risks Stock Photo
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Image details

Contributor:

Tony Smith

Image ID:

3EX1REP

File size:

97.7 MB (3.5 MB Compressed download)

Releases:

Model - no | Property - noDo I need a release?

Dimensions:

4835 x 7064 px | 40.9 x 59.8 cm | 16.1 x 23.5 inches | 300dpi

Date taken:

28 June 2026

Location:

Athletic Arms, 1–3 Angle Park Terrace, Edinburgh, Scotland, EH11 2JX

More information:

Gold-branded electronic fruit machine inside the Athletic Arms, the historic Edinburgh pub widely known as Diggers. The brightly illuminated cabinet displays a £100 jackpot, a Penguins Go Wild game screen and a selection of colourful gambling titles, including Gold, Wild Gold, Pots of Gold, Rainbow Riches and Duck-themed games. The machine carries Fair City Amusements branding and stands against the pub’s dark timber panelling beside a small table. The Athletic Arms opened in 1897 and occupies 1–3 Angle Park Terrace in Edinburgh. Its familiar nickname, Diggers, is linked to its position between two graveyards and the tradition of gravediggers visiting the pub after work. The venue is also known for cask ale, an extensive whisky range and its proximity to Tynecastle Park and Murrayfield Stadium. Fruit machines remain a familiar feature of some British pubs, combining flashing lights, themed graphics, sound effects and cash prizes in a setting where customers may also be drinking alcohol. The prominent £100 jackpot and repeated gold imagery are designed around the prospect of an instant win, while the range of games encourages continued play and repeated spending. The photograph can illustrate pub entertainment, licensed gambling, gaming-machine revenue and the social normalisation of low-stake betting. It is also relevant to coverage of gambling harms, compulsive behaviour and addiction risk. Gaming machines provide rapid and repeated opportunities to stake money, and losses can accumulate despite the language of prizes, jackpots and striking gold. The scene records a traditional Edinburgh public house alongside a modern electronic gambling product, contrasting Victorian-style wooden surroundings with a vivid digital gaming display. It is suitable for editorial themes involving Scottish pub culture, consumer leisure, gambling regulation, public health, financial harm and responsible gambling awareness.