Stocks are gambling. If you don't recognize that, you deserve an education.
So are stocks gambling? For sure, no doubt about it. Are the odds more in your favor than a black jack table? Well, that depends on you and how much time you are willing to dedicate to learning the different avenues of revenue streams available.... in both cases really.
Stock Broker: Have you heard about the next big web company going IPO? Mrs. Smith: Which one? I don't follow the web too much. Stock Broker: Groupon, they are shifting the paradigm on how people advertise and shop. Mrs. Smith: I think I read about it on the local paper or heard it on the local news. Do you think it is going to be really big? Stock Broker: Nothing is guaranteed, but it has a good potential to be the Google and Apple of shopping. It is a great opportunity for you to get in on the ground floor.
There are no people who invest major amounts of money without a) understanding the risks of investing major amounts of money b) having major-major amounts of money and therefore losing major amounts of money is no big deal. I've known grandmothers who play the stock market. They play it because it's fun and they can make money. They can also lose money. One thing they are not is ditzy and uninformed. Ditzy, uninformed people go to Vegas.