Your question is what the view of an average citizen is regarding crypto currency. Though you digress from your question, the fact remains that the view of citizens regarding crypto currency depends on the country. For some country I can tell you categorically that they haven't even heard of cryptocurrency and its a novel idea to them, so I will say, it is relative. It depends on the country.
I think it doesn't only depend on the country, but more depends on the environment around you because everyone can still use Bitcoin for investment or to trade on certain exchanges even though the country itself has not made a statement about wanting to fully support Bitcoin. So even though it is not supported by the state, every citizen can still buy Bitcoin without having to tell everyone in their own country so the view about Bitcoin actually depends more on each individual themselves in terms of understanding it.
If there are few educated people in the society then it is very difficult to discuss or describe bitcoin in that society. People in the rural environment where I live are not that educated. I couldn't get them to understand Bitcoin in any way. On the other hand, while explaining about Bitcoin among some of our citizens, they explained to me that it is like gambling.
How can they say Bitcoin is like gambling if they themselves are not familiar with Bitcoin and do not have standard education to understand how the Bitcoin system and the financial system that has been formed at this time. So it would be very strange if they judged it like that as long as they still don't know about Bitcoin and if in your area there are still more people like that, I think you need to implement the option not to tell about Bitcoin directly to every resident there.
So that you don't waste more time arguing with them, but on the one hand you have to influence them to read more news that can direct them into Bitcoin. So that they can have the intention to find out for themselves about Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies after feeling curious about what they have read on the internet or in other media.