This study investigated the effects of impulsiveness, depression and distress tolerance on problematic drinking of undergraduate students. A total of 433 participants took part in the online survey. Problematic drinking had a significant positive correlation with impulsiveness, depression, and a significant negative correlation with distress tolerance. According to the process macro analysis, distress tolerance showed a significant partial mediating effect in the effect of impulsiveness on problematic drinking and the effect of depression on problematic drinking. The moderated mediating effect of gender was significant in the effect of impulsiveness on problematic drinking through distress tolerance, and the influence was greater in male than female. The moderated mediating effect of gender was not significant in the effects of depression and distress tolerance on problematic drinking. These results suggest that gender should be considered in the intervention for problematic drinking, and that it is important to reduce impulsiveness and depressed mood and strengthen the ability to tolerate distress in order to reduce problematic drinking in male undergraduates.