Sam Jones on Building 155.io: Monkey Bets, Fish Tanks, and the Future of CCTV Gaming

Sam Jones founded 155.io in 2024 with a thesis most game studios would dismiss outright: forget competing with the thousands of slots and crash games already clogging casino lobbies. Build something so different that players cannot ignore it. Two years later, Rush Hour is the most discussed new format in online gaming - and it started with a phone call about a monkey.

The Origin Story Nobody Expected

Jones told Global Gaming Insider that he runs 155.io more like a lab than a traditional studio. Most ideas die in testing. The ones that survive share three traits: they are chaotic, they are short, and they work on a phone screen.

That framework produced Stair Pong - 100+ ping pong balls dropped down a real staircase by a robotic arm every 30 seconds, inspired by an Instagram creator doing something similar at home. It produced Fish Tank - a coin-drop game modelled on a Swiss sneaker shop where customers could win Air Jordans by landing a coin in a tequila glass underwater.

Then came the call. A client asked Jones if he could launch a game that let people bet on what a live monkey would do next. Jones liked the creative ambition. He passed on the animal cruelty risk. But it planted a seed: what if you could bet on something real, happening right now, with no studio control over the outcome?

From Tesla Tech to Traffic Cameras

Jones started attending conferences focused on AI vehicle tracking - the same kind of computer vision technology that powers Tesla's autopilot. The software could count vehicles crossing defined zones in real time with high accuracy. He saw the connection immediately.

155.io built detection software on top of live CCTV feeds, added a betting layer with selectable odds, and launched CCTV Game - later branded Rush Hour. The feeds are real. The AI counting is visible on screen. The locations rotate every 30 seconds.

The company name itself tells you something about priorities. "155 honours the iPhone 15's 155mm display," Jones explained. "It reminds us to be mobile-focused in everything we create." Over 85% of players use mobile devices.

The Integrity Question

CCTV betting has attracted criticism alongside attention. Could someone station friends at a known camera location and manipulate traffic flow to fix a bet? Jones addressed it directly.

Locations change frequently - sometimes not returning for hours. Players do not know which segment of a feed will be shown. If someone tried to block traffic, the AI would detect the anomaly and skip the location entirely. The system is designed to be resistant to manipulation by default, not by adding layers of compliance after the fact.

All feeds are live but slightly delayed while the AI calculates vehicle ranges and ensures the odds are fair. The footage is either licensed or captured by 155.io's own cameras.

Why Players Care

Jones has a blunt theory on why Rush Hour connects with players. "The world is asleep at the wheel most of the time when it comes to information we consume," he said. "CCTV Game provides something so new, edgy, and almost dystopian that people like it. People crave authenticity. Why bet on a slot game when you can bet on the real world?"

The design philosophy is equally direct: games should feel as simple as Tinder to use. Rules should be obvious within seconds. No jargon. No overcomplicated interfaces. Jones believes most casino games fail this test badly, and that the audience for clean, intuitive prediction games is global.

What Comes Next

Jones teased new features coming to the CCTV game format without specifics. 155.io's portfolio already includes Duck River (rubber ducks on a real river) and Snow Run (skiers on a live slope), both extending the same formula: real footage, AI counting, mobile-first design.

Rush Hour and Duck River currently report RTP rates between 91.50% and 93.50%. For context, that puts them in line with many popular slots - though the Over/Under bet types offer significantly better returns at 95-97%.

The full interview was originally published by Global Gaming Insider.