BOKU is a mobile payment solution established back in 2003 and after numerous changes became the service we now know. Designed as a means of making small purchases online from one’s mobile phone, BOKU somehow found its way in the iGaming industry and has received steady support from a good number of online casinos. Though not as popular as credit cards and eWallets, BOKU is seeing growth with each passing year and reaching new levels of prominence. In this review, we will explore what makes BOKU attractive to gamblers, as well as the aspects of the service that might seem detrimental.
How BOKU Works with Online Casinos?
1Mobile Payment Service
BOKU is definitely different from other banking methods supported by the iGaming industry which either process transactions or maintain a balance for you. Instead, BOKU is a service that works with your mobile phone carrier. Whenever you wish to make a payment, the charge is added to your phone bill and you pay it with the monthly fee. It is that simple and players from all over Europe have access to it. BOKU works with more than 170 carriers in Europe and abroad, allowing millions of potential gamblers to benefit from this service.
2Convenience and Simplicity
The logistics of BOKU are pretty straightforward. Once you are ready to make a payment you enter the desired sum – within the set limits – and approve the transaction. You will receive a text message asking you to confirm the payment with instructions on how to do it. You send a message back and the payment will be processed instantly.
3Ready from the Get-Go
Unlike many other payment solutions in the online gambling industry, BOKU does not require you to hold an account with the service. Instead, it is immediately available for subscribers of the partner carrier and if you are one, you can always use it for the purposes of online gambling.
How We Evaluate BOKU Casinos?
With online casinos being much larger in number than ever before, you might well have too many options at your disposal. For your convenience, we list our metrics for evaluating any gambling website currently on the market. Each metric is easy to look up and you should have no issues in reaching a judgement after a few minutes with a given casino.
Security
Security is paramount in all cases and the same goes for online casinos too. After all, you need to be sure that any sensitive data does not go out into the public. Verify that the casino operator is regulated by a trusted government institution and that there is, at least, some form of encryption system in place.
Fees
Fees are something else that you should take into account when using BOKU. It is often the case that online casinos will charge you some form of commission on BOKU deposits. Ideally, you want to find the casino that charges the least or nothing at all. Of course, it can take some time to go through all the websites that accept BOKU.
Transactions
Before you can actually make a deposit with BOKU, you need to verify that the online casino in question supports the service. You cannot make a deposit if BOKU is not an option. Luckily, this only takes a few moments to check and you can move onto the next metric.
Accessibility
Accessibility is another point of interest that you should look into. Before you commit any real funds, be sure to verify that your device is supported by the casino. After all, you cannot play if you cannot access the platform properly. Currently, this is not much of an issue since most gambling websites are available for both desktop and mobile devices, but it is still worth the time to check.
Usage
Once you are certain that the casino is accessible from your device, it is time to check how the platform performs. Load the casino and browse through some of the menus to see if it slows down. Additionally, open up some games in free mode to check if they run smoothly on your device.
Bonuses
Last but not least, take into consideration what bonuses the casino offers. If you are probing multiple gambling websites at once, compare what you can get at each casino. You want to get the best deal, not solely in numbers but in what you have to do to cash in the bonus. For this reason, go through the terms and conditions to avoid any unpleasant surprises down the line.
BOKU Casino Deposit
Limits
BOKU comes with inherent transaction limits that will no doubt affect your iGaming experience. You will only be able to make payments up to £30 every 24 hours with BOKU. Even by casual player standards this is quite low and will turn off many users from this service. There is no way around this limit and you will have to make do with it if you choose to use BOKU.
Fees
When you use BOKU, you will not be subjected to any fees on the service’s part. You can make payments with no additional cost other than the sum that you actually transfer. That being said, there is something else to take into account. Casinos that support BOKU often charge some form of commission on BOKU deposits. How much this is will depend on the online casino you choose and will typically be in the range of 2% to 10%.
Processing Times
One aspect in which BOKU excels is in the speed of the transactions. When you confirm a deposit with BOKU it takes only a few seconds before the payment is processed. The money will appear instantly in your casino balance and it will be ready to use. You can immediately get down to playing your favorite games with no downtime.
BOKU Casino Withdrawal
Limits
Something you have to consider when using BOKU for the purposes of online gambling is that the service is not capable of handling withdrawals. As a result, you will need to use a different payment solution to cash in your winnings. More often than not this can be done via Bank Transfer. In such cases, the amount that you can withdraw will depend entirely on the withdrawal policy of the casino.
Fees
As mentioned above, BOKU does not handle withdrawals and you can use Bank Transfers for this purpose. Regarding any fees, we cannot give any concrete information. Certain online casinos will charge a fee for each withdrawal, others will give you the first one for free, while some will not charge you anything. It all depends on the policy set by the operator.
Processing Times
Bank Transfers are the only way to cash in money that you deposited via BOKU. If you decide to use Bank Transfers for the purposes of withdrawals you will likely experience the slowest processing times in the industry. A standard Bank Transfer can take anywhere between 1 and 5 business days to clear, depending on your country of residence and your bank.
BOKU Pros and Cons
As with any other payment method out there, BOKU comes with its own unique set of advantages and disadvantages. You need to take these into account and weigh them against each other to see if the service is right for you. Below, we outline the most important qualities of BOKU.
The most important advantage available to BOKU users is that the service is able to process deposits instantly. As soon as you confirm the transaction, the money will be added to your casino balance and you can start wagering it immediately.
Undeniably, the largest drawback of using BOKU is the incredibly tight transaction limits. A mere £30 per day will not be enough for most mid rollers and certainly not for high rollers. Therefore, if the limits do not satisfy you, check out a different payment method.
Another excellent advantage of BOKU is that the service is not directly connected to your bank account and as such, does not reveal your sensitive information when making a deposit. With BOKU, you will be able to easily maintain your privacy on the Internet.
Additionally, we also have to consider the inability to withdraw your balance via the same service. BOKU transactions can only go one way and you would need to resort to a different payment solution to cash in your winnings.
Making payments with BOKU is easy and convenient, taking no more than a minute for the whole process.
While BOKU works with all major mobile carriers in the United Kingdom, the same cannot be said for other countries. You would need to check the availability of the service in your country and which carries support it.
Countries Which Use BOKU in Online Casinos?
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom is the best country for use of BOKU. The service works with all major carriers in the United Kingdom, thereby allowing just about anyone from that country to make use of BOKU. With high accessibility, United Kingdom gamblers will have no issues in using BOKU for online gambling. Moreover, many of the online casinos currently available in the UK are happy to accept deposits with BOKU.
Germany
Germany is also quite fond of this mobile payment method. BOKU works with several of the largest mobile carriers in the country, making it widely accessible to a wide user base. While acceptance for BOKU in German online casinos is not at its ideal levels, things get better with every year.
Austria
Austria has also grown to love BOKU and with already existing partnerships with carriers, it is only natural for Austrian gamblers to like this service. Online casinos available in the country have also begun BOKU integration into their list of supported services. In the coming months, things are bound to get better for BOKU users.
Italy
Italy is another of the major countries to use BOKU for gambling transactions. The service has picked up a lot of steam in the previous few years and is reaching popularity levels as several other prominent banking solutions. Italian gamblers will have an easy time using BOKU since it works with some of the largest carries in the country and online casinos are warming up to the idea of supporting it.
Denmark
The Scandinavian countries are always interested in using alternative payment solutions and BOKU has become quite popular among some circles. With easy and convenient deposits, this service is getting high levels of support with a good number of online casinos and the trend is likely to continue.
Spain
The Spanish iGaming scene is quite inviting and the country is also fond of mobile payment solutions. Therefore, it only makes sense for BOKU to become accepted by online gamblers. It offers support for many of the major carriers and its influence is only expanding further.
Using BOKU in Mobile Casinos
1Easy and Convenient
Making a deposit to a mobile casino with BOKU is quite simple and should be no issue for anyone. In fact, the process is the same as with normal desktop casinos. You go to the cashier page and select the ‘Pay by phone’ option. You enter the relevant information and then confirm the transaction via message. The whole thing can happen on your smartphone or tablet, all within a minute. After that, you can jump into your favorite slots or table games for a mobile gaming session.
2Mobile-Only Payment Method
As one can easily guess, BOKU is designed to be used on mobile phones, making it a perfect payment solution for certain mobile gamblers. The service is only available on mobile and there is no desktop counterpart. Additionally, mobile users will not be required to install any additional apps in order to use the service. The confirmation message is a standard text message and you reply to it in the normal way. BOKU is designed for simplicity and convenience, making it quite suitable for gaming on the go.
BOKU Casino Bonuses
The iGaming industry is quite fond of promotions and practically every online casino out there offers them to some extent. There are several different promotion types that you can benefit from and below, we give you a brief rundown of the four basic varieties.
Deposit Bonuses
Deposit bonuses are the most common form of bonus featured in the online gambling scene. In short, the casino will match your deposit up to a certain amount and give you extra bonus funds to play with. Granted, with BOKU, you will hardly cover much more than the minimum deposit but this is a good offer regardless.
Free Spins
Free spins are given out as part of a package deal or as a stand-alone promotion. They allow you to play a slot game a certain number of spins and any winnings are credited to your balance as bonus funds. As such, they are subject to a wagering requirement before they can be withdrawn.
Loyalty Points
Loyalty points symbolize goodwill that you have cultivated with the casino in question. Usually, you can earn points by placing bets or making deposits, with the number of points being proportional to the size of the deposits and bets.
No Deposit Bonuses
No deposit bonuses are quite different from the other types mentioned here but are still important enough to talk about. The difference comes in the lack of a deposit requirement to claim a no deposit bonus. As a result of this, no deposit bonuses are therefore much stricter when it comes to wagering and withdrawal limitations.
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BOKU Casinos Safety and Security
Completely Separate Banking Solution
Confirmation Required
BOKU is different from most other payment methods supported by the iGaming industry in the sense that it is completely separated from traditional banking institutions. There is no connection between the service and your bank account. Any deposit you make is charged to your phone bill rather than a credit card or bank balance. As a result, you do not reveal any sensitive information at any point in the payment process. Therefore, you do not need to worry about the security of your money or important data, as it never comes under any risk.
View more...An excellent security feature of BOKU is that you have to personally confirm a payment from your phone. This can only be done on your device and you have to personally respond to the text message for the payment to go through. This makes so that you can never be cheated out of your money and you have full control at all times. A basic password on your phone will protect you from any potential wrongdoing and allow you to play in peace and quiet.
View more...BOKU Alternatives for Online Casinos
Neteller
Neteller is among the most used payment methods in the iGaming industry and support for this service is universal among online casinos. This eWallet gives you the opportunity to perform instant deposits and receive the fastest withdrawals, all at a low cost.
Skrill
Skrill is one of your best banking options in the online gambling industry. This service is accepted at just about any online casino and you can easily control your bankroll with it. Some of the benefits include instant deposits, privacy protection and the quickest withdrawals in the industry.
EcoPayz
A great banking option available at many online casinos, ecoPayz is the preferred payment method for a good portion of the player base. Offering the features of both eWallets and debit cards, ecoPayz is one of the most diverse payment methods supported by the industry.
Credit Cards
Credit cards are always in fashion and universal acceptance makes them an attractive banking solution. Visa and MasterCard are supported by any online casino, allowing the vast majority of players to make a deposit with ease. Instant deposits and relatively quick withdrawals are in store for anyone who uses credit cards.
Paysafecard
Paysafecard is the most popular prepaid method in the iGaming industry and is supported by the majority of online casinos. With Paysafecard, you can easily make a deposit and protect your identity at the same time. A voucher can be purchased at thousands of retail locations all over the world.
PayPal
PayPal is the most popular eWallet in the world and it also enjoys good levels of support in the iGaming scene. With PayPal, you have the ability to make a deposit with only a few clicks. Furthermore, the service is accepted all over the Internet making it a multi-purpose payment method.
BOKU Casinos FAQ
What sums can I transfer with BOKU?
As mentioned above, there is a daily limit of £30 that you can transfer with the service. Within that £30 limit, you can only make transactions in increments of £10. For example, you can make a single purchase of £10 and one worth £20, or alternatively, three different payments of £10.
Do I have to verify my identity to use BOKU?
There is no need to verify your identity specifically to use BOKU. To use the service you need to be subscribed to a partner carrier and you have already supplied the necessary information when you become a customer. Therefore, the service is available with its full features from the start.
My payment has not gone through but the money has not appeared in my balance. What’s wrong?
If the money has been charged to your phone plan but has yet to be loaded on your casino balance you should contact the casino’s support staff to see what can be done. Typically, BOKU payments are cleared instantly and it is usually a problem on the casino’s end of things.
Does BOKU offer customer support?
There is an extensive FAQ section on the BOKU website that details the most common problems people have with the service. In case something goes wrong and you need help, do not hesitate to contact the merchant or online casino. Alternatively, you may also seek assistance from your carrier.
Can I use BOKU outside of iGaming?
Yes, you can. BOKU has widespread application outside the world of online casinos and is supported by several high-profile vendors and services. More specifically, these include Facebook, Google Play, Spotify, Sony PlayStation Store, the Microsoft Windows Store, and many more.