Of all the questions that a prospective player has when considering a new online casino to sing up to and play their favourite games at, payment and withdrawal methods tend to be pretty close to the top of most people’s lists.The likes of e-wallets and debit card transactions have been an option at many online casinos for a long time now, but with technological advancements moving at a startling pace, every now and again, a new way to pay pops up, it happened with cryptocurrencies at certain casinos, and it has, arguably to a larger extent, also happened with paying by SMS.Pay by SMS casinos are a useful tool for many who like to make their deposits on the move. There’s also the option to pay by phone bill, something else that an increasing number of casinos are starting to offer.Companies like Boku facilitate the situation and allow you to deposit into your chosen online casino from your phone bill.These methods may sound complex and scary, but they are in fact logical and easy to use, which makes everything easier.Since mobile gaming has become such a huge part of the online casino market over recent years, we have all been aware that an increasing number of innovations will be created to cater specifically for smartphone and tablet players.So, let’s take a look at these newly added payment methods that are designed to create a simpler gaming experience for mobile players.
Paying by SMS
SMS deposits are something that many assume will be a complex procedure, but inf act, are incredibly easy to operate.Simply pay a minimum deposit of £10 via a SMS message to the casino, and the casino will then let you know via your mobile phone when you are reaching the set limit.Limits are attached to a variety of mobile phone transactions, but in the case of online casinos, it can be a reassurance to players who cane rest assured that they will not spend too much via SMS due to the limits that are in place at all pay by SMS casinos.Another useful factor here is that not only can you make your deposit using your mobile phone, but you can also withdraw your winnings in the same way, making paying and receiving money to and from your favourite online casino easier than it ever has been!Add to that the fact that there are no additional charges attached in either direction, and it swiftly becomes clear why this payment and withdrawal method has become so popular so quickly.
Security
Of course, it is of the utmost importance to be careful when spending money online, and this is even more apparent in the online casino industry, where the safety of players and their money is paramount.Before you pay by SMS, as with any other payment method, ensure that you are playing at a casino that is licensed by a relevant regulator, and research any complaints and how they have been handled.However, outside of the normal safety procedures, there is nothing extra to do when paying with SMS as it is one of the safest and most protected ways to make payments.Another way to ensure you are safe is to avoid habits attached to problem gambling, and the £30 limit for all SMS payments means that there is an extra level of protection stopping you from spending money you can’t afford to spend.If, however, you are worried that you may have issues with gambling, do not ignore them, even if using a safe payment method, contact Gamcare of one of the many other excellent organisations who are ready and willing to offer help and advice to those affected by problem gambling.As mobile gaming becomes an increasingly large part of the online casino industry, we can expect SMS payments to be used more frequently in the near future.
Sites that Offer Payment by SMS
A fair percentage of online casinos offer payment by SMS at this point, and that number is expected to rise rapidly as this payment method becomes more popular.For now, some of the best rated online casinos you can play at that will allow SMS deposits and withdrawals are bCasino, Goliath Casino, Omnia Casino, and PlayFrank, all four of which enjoy stellar reputations amongst players and industry insiders alike, and are no strangers to being at the forefront of innovation in the iGaming world.
Paying by Phone Bill
The ability to pay by phone bill is another new innovation in the iGaming world. A recent addition at a number of sites, most of which utilise Boku, the service allows players to make their deposits in the same way they pay for their phone package and any additional minutes, texts, or data.
How it Works
Boku is a company that enables payments to be charged directly from a phone bill, in the same way that it would if you’d used data or made a phone call.Since introducing the technology, Boku and other companies like it have been able to offer a new way of payment to people in various industries, and one of the most useful is the online casino world.Boku processes your payment to the online casino of your choosing, and charges that to your mobile network provider, who, in turn, add the relevant amount onto your next phone bill.Another payment form that benefits the mobile gamer, you can make a payment via your phone bill at any time, 24/7, and immediately start playing your favourite games at your chosen casino.There is no need to set up an account, register, or download any software in order to use this payment method, it is possible instantly even if you’ve never done it before, and with Boku and companies like them having deals with all major UK networks, it should be incredibly easy to do so, all you need is your phone number.Again, there are no additional fees or charges here, so the casino receives everything that you deposit, although it is, unsurprisingly, not as regular to receive your withdrawals in this way, which would be complicated and ultimately fairly fruitless.
The Rise and Rise of Mobile Casinos
It was not too long ago that mobile players were somewhat ignored by the majority of online casino sites. Considered to be a small subculture of the iGaming world with little profitability, those sites which did offer mobile games normally limited the choice to a large extent, providing mobile players with a small percentage of the games that were available to desktop and laptop players.With technological advances in mobile phones, and the switch from Flash to HTML5, online casino play suddenly became a lot easier and a lot smoother on mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets.As this happened, the interest from players grew, and as a result, the interest from online casinos grew to match it, and now, just a few years on from the dawning of the mobile gaming industry, mobile play is a huge part of the online casino world.It is now in a casino’s best interest to try their hardest to cater for the needs of mobile players, perhaps even placing them above traditional players in terms of priority, and offer new, easy, and innovative ways for people to enjoy their online casino experience from their mobile devices.It is no surprise, therefore, that the latest innovations are those with take advantages of ways that mobile devices can make the whole gaming experience easier, and simple deposit and withdrawal methods are a great way to do that.
When will my Favourite Casino Offer These Methods?
We are fairly early in the life of mobile specific payment methods such as SMS payments and paying by phone bill, and as a result, the number of online casinos that offer this series is limited compared to those which accept e-wallet payments, for example.It may, therefore, be the case that your favourite online casino does not currently offer these services, and it’s not always possible to know when they will.However, if you play at an online casino that focuses a decent aunt of its attention into offering a complete and comprehensive gaming experience for mobile gamers, then the chances are these two payment methods will not be far away.
What’s Next?
The online casino industry has never been as exciting as it is right now, with the likes of virtual reality being incorporated more and more, with VR games and VR casinos now available, and the technological advances in mobile devices allowing for those who prefer gaming on the move to enjoy the same experience as static gamers, and a better experience in some cases due to it being tailor made to suit their needs, it’s anyone’s guess what the next big thing will be.While we wait for that, however, why not check out pay by SMS and pay by phone bill options the next time you are looking for a new lace to play.