We cannot consider any betting without money as gambling. There are some situations where money is not exchanged but is treated as a bet. I have some friends who sometimes bet with some others friends where they don't prioritize money. But if they lose the bet they are obliged to give treats. Can i consider such bets as gambling? Definitely not, Because there is no direct relation to money. Moreover, no one has any regrets even if they lose.
When gambling you have to risk something that if you lose you also lose that thing that you staked earlier so what your friends were doing was betting or gambling depending on the name you want to give it. Betting or gambling isn't done with only money there's other things that can be used.
People can bet with anything that represents money to them or they have value in. Example if I was to stake my Bitcoin for a bet and someone doesn't know what Bitcoin is then they won't value it but for those that are informed about what bitcoin is, they'll accept the bet.
In your words there was an obligations that has to be done if anyone lose and that's what makes it a bet, the treat that had to be given is what's used to represent money in your example. Value was given to the treat like what money represent in the gambling world.