Poker is a sport which requires skills. It is unlike any casino game where you have no control over the outcome of your bet. It is like chess, you have to think of many things before/while making your decision. In a nutshell, it is a game with positive EV if you are playing appropriately (there is no single appropriate way).
People have a negative perception towards card games (especially in our society) because of Hindi drama movies which is the biggest obstacle for poker towards treating it as a sport. If you are not feeling comfortable with staking money in poker (I am not talking about any other 100% luck based card games) just because it is a card game, please familarize yourself with the rules of it and try to play it with play money or just watch online poker tournaments, you will understand what I am trying to say. You mentioned sports betting, which also requires skill in order to be profitable over the long term, poker is also no different in the long term (lets say if you play 25000 hands).
Apart from that it is a great way of socializing with your friends or even making new friends (or enemies ). You will also learn to stay focused under pressure and a skill to read people and tell if they are bluffing or not.