Does Ethnic Identity Moderate the Association Between Ethnic Discrimination and Gambling Harm Among Hispanic or Latino/a/x College Students?
Session Title
Poster session
Presentation Type
Poster Presentation
Start Date
27-5-2026 12:00 AM
Abstract
Individuals who identify as Hispanic or Latino/a/x experience more gambling harm than non-Hispanic White individuals. However, no studies have been conducted to understand the variables that may explain the disparity in gambling harm among this population. The present study sought to understand the association between ethnic discrimination and gambling harm, and whether ethnic identity moderates the strength of the association. The study recruited a sample of college students who self-identified as Hispanic or Latino/a/x, gambled once in the past month, and reported experiencing ethnic discrimination. A moderated multiple hierarchical regression was conducted to examine how ethnic discrimination predicted gambling harm, controlling for age, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, and university affiliation, with ethnic identity as the moderator. Results revealed that ethnic discrimination explained 4% of the variance in gambling expenditure but did not meaningful predict gambling frequency. Additionally, ethnic discrimination accounted for 12% of the variance in gambling harm. However, ethnic identity did not moderate the association between ethnic discrimination and gambling harm. Future research should examine the underlying cultural constructs and their relation to gambling behavior and gambling harm to advance culturally tailored secondary prevention strategies among Hispanic or Latino/a/x populations.
Does Ethnic Identity Moderate the Association Between Ethnic Discrimination and Gambling Harm Among Hispanic or Latino/a/x College Students?
Individuals who identify as Hispanic or Latino/a/x experience more gambling harm than non-Hispanic White individuals. However, no studies have been conducted to understand the variables that may explain the disparity in gambling harm among this population. The present study sought to understand the association between ethnic discrimination and gambling harm, and whether ethnic identity moderates the strength of the association. The study recruited a sample of college students who self-identified as Hispanic or Latino/a/x, gambled once in the past month, and reported experiencing ethnic discrimination. A moderated multiple hierarchical regression was conducted to examine how ethnic discrimination predicted gambling harm, controlling for age, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, and university affiliation, with ethnic identity as the moderator. Results revealed that ethnic discrimination explained 4% of the variance in gambling expenditure but did not meaningful predict gambling frequency. Additionally, ethnic discrimination accounted for 12% of the variance in gambling harm. However, ethnic identity did not moderate the association between ethnic discrimination and gambling harm. Future research should examine the underlying cultural constructs and their relation to gambling behavior and gambling harm to advance culturally tailored secondary prevention strategies among Hispanic or Latino/a/x populations.