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For a long time, it seemed that UK players were limited to using only a handful of payment methods, including debit cards and PayPal. Newer and smaller sites offered the occasional alternative, but they never really spread far and wide, and the ones that did become universal were connected to existing methods, such as Skrill 1-Tap and Apple Pay.

But then Pay by Mobile bingo sites came along, and that’s when Boku assumed its position in the spotlight.

In this guide, I’ll discuss how Boku works while highlighting its pros and cons and comparing it to alternative payment options. If you’re ready to jump straight in with some Boku bingo sites, just check out the ones on this page. These top Boku bingo sites were all hand-picked and vetted by me and other experts here at Bingo Paradise!

What is Boku?

Boku is a type of payment method found at online bingo sites (and other online gambling websites) that allows you to make deposits by making charges to your mobile phone bill. It was first launched back in 2003 (then, called Vidicom), and today, the operation has exploded, with the payment provider now working with hundreds of carriers around the world.

In addition to online gambling, Boku can also be used to make small purchases online. The payment provider has an infrastructure that covers three continents, and they have partnerships with many UK-based telecoms providers including O2, Vodafone, EE, and Three.

They’re continually forming new partnerships – both in the online gambling industry and in other digital payment service areas – and have become the most well-known Pay by Phone company on the planet.

Boku has been praised for its simplicity and speed. It allows players to make a deposit in just a couple of minutes, and you don’t need to register any card or bank account details to use it. Payments are charged directly onto your next phone bill, which are reflected on your statement as a “BOKU” charge.

How Does Boku Work?

If you choose to use Boku at an online bingo site, you’ll be pleased to know that actually using the payment method is very easy and straightforward. To begin, you’ll need to head into the “deposit” area of your account and select Boku as your preferred payment method.

You’ll then be prompted to enter the amount of money you wish to deposit, and once you’ve confirmed this amount, Boku’s payment portal will appear on your screen. From here, simply confirm the amount of money you wish to deposit and enter/confirm your phone number.

A text message will then be sent to your phone, stating the amount of money that you’re about to deposit and the bingo website the funds will be credited to. You must reply to this text message in order for the payment to be processed. Once done, you’ll receive another SMS message confirming the payment, and your funds will then be available in your online bingo account within a minute or two.

As Boku handles all aspects of the payment, the online bingo site won’t receive any of your sensitive information. Once you’ve completed the deposit process within Boku’s payment portal window, the bingo site will be notified that the payment was a success, and they’ll know to credit the funds to your account.

Benefits of Using Boku

There are multiple benefits to using Boku at online bingo sites. Whether these are of benefit to you as a player, though, is another matter. It all depends on what kind of player you are and what you value in a payment method.

Accessible and Widely Available

One of the biggest reasons to use the payment method is simply the number of sites that accept Boku. It’s a popular payment option for many – especially those looking to deposit smaller amounts of money – and, for this reason, many leading bingo sites offer this service.

Private

When you make a deposit using Boku, you also don’t need to enter (or remember) any passwords, card numbers, or PINs. All you need is your phone number and the ability to receive a text to confirm your deposit.

You also don’t need to store any bank account or debit card details on the internet. The only thing an online bingo site needs when you make a Boku deposit is your phone number, and this makes the payment option a viable option for those who are security-conscious.

Bear in mind, of course, that UK regulations mean you still need to verify your identity when joining new bingo sites and online casinos. So, they will still need to confirm your name, age, and address, as well as other basic information. If you’re hoping that you can use a service like this for completely anonymous gambling, you’re out of luck. No such service exists in the UK.

Safe and Secure

Boku is also an incredibly safe payment option. In order to make the payment, you’ll need to authorise it via an SMS message, and this means that unless your phone itself is physically lost or stolen – and the thief knows your phone’s passcode – it’s an incredibly secure payment option. What’s more, as the maximum daily deposit limit using Boku is £30, even if fraudulent payments are made, they would, in relative terms, be quite small.

Great Option for Players Without Alternative Payment Methods

Boku is also a useful option for those who don’t have a UK debit card – or even a bank account – as you can actually use pay-as-you-go phones, provided enough credit is loaded up beforehand. However, as you’ll see in the following section, you do need to add a separate payment method to make withdrawals, so this point may be redundant, depending on the withdrawal method you use.

Fee-Free Gaming (for the most part)

Finally, another benefit of using Boku to make deposits at online bingo sites is that there are no fees charged either by Boku or your phone carrier for using the payment option.

So, if you deposit £15 at an online bingo site, £15 is the amount you’ll see credited on your next phone bill. Some sites may list a charge for using this service, but the majority have removed that fee. It’s still worth checking in advance, though.

Drawbacks of Using Boku

Unfortunately, while great on paper, there are a number of significant drawbacks you should be aware of when considering Boku as a payment option.

Low Deposit Limit

There’s a relatively low deposit limit in place when players use Boku, and this is just £30. This limit applies per phone number, and not per bingo site – so players are unable to deposit more than £30 in a 24-hour period regardless of which site(s) they’re playing at.

Not Available for All Promotions

Not all welcome bonus and promotional offers are available to be claimed with deposits made via Boku. Before using Boku you should always read the terms and conditions of a bonus if you’re considering claiming it to avoid disappointment.

More commonly, you will see exclusions for e-wallets, especially Skrill and Neteller. I have also seen a lot of exclusions on PayPal bingo sites, but such exclusions can include Pay by Phone methods like Boku, as well.

Not Available for Withdrawals

You cannot make withdrawals using Boku. For many, this payment method’s biggest disadvantage, and if you do wish to make a withdrawal, you’ll need to do so using a separate payment option. Not only does this cause players additional hassle, but it also means they’ll need to complete a separate Know Your Customer (KYC) check on the additional payment method they add, further complicating the process.

Credit Gambling

I have been very critical of services like Boku in the past. You won’t see me speaking highly of these services in my reviews. I should note that this is my opinion, and I don’t want to deter anyone from using this service if it’s deemed viable, but it’s worth addressing those issues.

The low deposit limit is part of the problem, as is the fact that it’s not available for withdrawals. My main issue, though, is that it’s a form of credit gambling, something that the regulators don’t view fondly (and rightly so). Sure, it’s only £30, but that can be a lot of money to some people.

I’ve been in a position where losing that amount of money every day would have destroyed me. I can imagine similar people finding themselves in such a situation and then letting their gambling get out of hand. It’s easy to add money to a payment method that you don’t have to cover straight away. But if you keep doing that, you will inevitably find yourself with a massive bill at the end of the month.

It’s a form of credit gambling. It’s risky. And if you have a history of problem gambling or believe that you might be at risk, I recommend staying clear.

Similar Payment Methods to Boku

Due to the limited number of players actually looking to make deposits from their mobile phone bill, Boku’s competition is limited to two other main companies; Payforit and Zimpler. Their payment platform works in a near-identical manner, and the same deposit limits apply. Payforit and Zimpler are also unable to process withdrawals.

With the UKCG guidelines regarding players depositing only using money they can afford to lose, it’s unlikely we’ll see any other pay-by-phone competitors appear within the online gambling market as the future for pay-by-phone gambling doesn’t look great.

The Future of Boku

While the Boku payment method is accepted at a number of popular bingo sites – and is a simple and versatile option for those wanting a quick and easy way to make deposits – the drawbacks mean it’s unlikely to ever become a mainstream payment option.

Its inability to process withdrawals is a major setback; not only is this an annoyance for the player, but it also means they need to register an additional payment method to their bingo account. They may as well just have used the other payment method in the first place.

What’s more, we’ve already seen indications from the UK’s Gambling Commission that they’re looking at banning – outright – the use of funding online gambling through mobile phone bills, and the 2020 ban on credit cards shows they’re serious about following through on these threats.

This ban stems from the UKGC only wanting players to be able to deposit what they can afford to lose. As noted above, Boku – and other pay-by-phone payment providers – are potentially allowing players to gamble with money they didn’t actually have. It can be argued that players are gambling with a cash advance, something which is now illegal in the UK.

Whether Boku is targeted remains to be seen, but we certainly wouldn’t count it out, especially as the UKGC continue to slap restrictions on how much players can actually deposit at online gambling websites in the UK.

Boku’s future is likely as an accompaniment to other major payment options. It’s a useful feature for those who want to take advantage of it, and plenty of bingo sites offer it as a deposit option today.