Some may remember the local “bookie”; some may have tried their luck in Vegas; but few of us are aware of the tsunami of gambling now threatening our economy, our democracy–our entire society.

Today, newly emerging “prediction markets” make it possible to gamble 24 hours a day: not just on sports, but on all kinds of other outcomes – the Oscars, business decisions, financial issues, elections, even wars -- anywhere in the world. For every one person who makes a killing, others lose millions. Some lose everything.

Long associated with greedy figures in the shadows, gambling is now the province of corporate chieftains masterminding a tidal wave of cash flowing through our economy. What happens when modern technology merges with addictive behavior, permitting millions to influence the outcome of what used to be local events like elections?

We’ll explore the transformation of gambling in America—a tale involving bookies, the Mob, business titans, politicians and the Supreme Court, along with millions of average citizens—and its emergence as an existential threat.

This course will combine lecture with class discussions.

This is a 6-session course (12 hours total).