Ongoing studies, carried out by Dr Stephanie Bramley of King’s College London, have revealed that migrants can be more vulnerable to harm caused by problem gambling due to social isolation, culture shock, language difficulties and a lack of access to, or awareness of, help available.
Shift work itself was also a factor, with unsocial hours leading to casinos and betting shops being the only option when you come off shift. Location of work can be a factor too. Dr. Bramley used the example of migrants working in and around London's Chinatown, which has a lot of casinos. Equally coming from a place where gambling is forbidden or heavily restricted is another factor- having access on the high street could be too much of temptation.
Dr Bramley suggest that a community-based approach could be the best way to help migrants with problem gambling. She recommends trusted people or organizations in the community be educated on problem gambling and trained to spot the signs, so they can then more effectively communicate with the person in need, in their own language and sensitive to their culture.