Although it has many qualities that are similar to gambling, such as luck, odds, and involves risking money, I don't think claw machines should be considered gambling. Because in claw machine any age can play the game, gambling has age restrictions when playing the games. Claw machines is a form of entertainment where you can get physical toys or plushies, although gambling is also seen as entertainment, claw machines are different in a way as for fun or challenge, than in gambling as risk-taking or financial gain or expectation of winning money.
A person who play claw machine also risk money when he tries to pull out a toy. The cost of 1 game < toy price. Win a toy and sell it = get money. Gambling has age restriction, but when gambling online age is rarely asked. During regular gambling gamblers are also get portion of entertainment. People also get addicted when they want to pull out one specific toy or item and start depositing money into machine like nuts. Everything looks identical.