I wouldn't consider it gambling because although it involves a lot of speculation, risk etc, it involves knowledge which is something you do not have control of when gambling (specifically dice)
There are different forms of gambling but in my understanding it's divided into two category, these are skilled based and luck based gambling.
The one you are talking is an example of a luck based gambling, of course it's hard to win through luck as the house has the edge and you will never
gonna have a chance to be a long term winner.
In trading, you can develop your skills and for me it's like a skilled based gambling.
but still trading requires mostly luck because you cannot predict what will happen next even if you have a lot of knowledge and skills, it still usesless because the future still holds your destiny. skills is only 30% and the rest 70% is purely luck. however gambling is more risky when compared to trading because as you said earlier the house edge for most gambling is verry high while in there is no house edge in trading because thier is no real owner on the crypto market.