Futures trading is of course very risky, it requires skill and astuteness to always monitor market price movements. This is of course quite difficult for beginners to do, although there are always profits and losses in trading, but the risk of losing is greater than getting the expected profit.
I'm not sure if there is any type of trading out there that doesn't require skills. All of them are risky but we have some of them that are more risky and future trading is just one them where you are betting/contract bidding between a buyer and a seller and whoever win is what the contract will favour as there is going to be a transfer balance from one trader to another literally while the exchange rake in fees from what the two traders are doing.
Though, I can't even deny it, if you are very expert in spot trading and understand how to manage trades, you will make more money doing futures if you use the leverage like a normal person that want to make money and not someone who is trying to get rich overnight by using 100+ leverage. If if was that easy, even the exchanges will be there to make money by using high leverage.
Trading is indeed risky and its true that certain levels of risks could really be something that you could be able to point out specially in between spot and futures on which you could really be that obviously be able to point out on which one is really that more riskier than the other. If you would really be that wanting to deal up with trading but doesnt really like on touching up something riskier then better stick with spot first before
you would be touching up futures or never ever touch up this thing if you cant be able to bare up with the risks. Even myself had been long time on doing spot trades but i cant really just that make myself that being too confident or making up some consideration on touching up this space on which i cant really be able to have that kind of confidence on dealing up with it.
Somehow the difference about gambling and trading is that you could really be able to apply some analysis through it, even if we do speak about futures and if you do have that ample
experience towards trading then you could really be at least having that upperhand or good chance on making up some good trades and this is where there are still traders
who do really want to deal up with futures.