“Only the people making this bet will be affected if Bitcoin fails”
Which means that it’s just a gamble of some insiders.
Which means that it’s just a gamble of some insiders.
Speculation is by definition gambling. Investing is also speculation. You have a thesis, and you make returns if that plays out. You lose capital when you are wrong.
Also, I'm not sure what you mean by "insiders" - most of the world can purchase Bitcoin, the software is OSS, the network inspectable, and the evolving thesis and narrative is fully available online.
Bitcoin is the people's money.