Hello, readers! Welcome to our latest guide on Canada’s most innovative casino payment methods. Today, we’ll dive into the world of carrier billing—an innovative payment solution popular in Europe, UK and Canada.
Direct Carrier Billing (DCB) is a mobile-based payment method that allows players to fund casino accounts with their phone bills. This means that all casino deposits will be charged to your phone bill so you can settle the balance at the end of your billing cycle. Think of it as a stress-free ‘play-now-pay-later’ setup.
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Since its inception, DCB has grown to become a favourite among Canadian players. According to Statista, the average carrier billing transaction among Canadians is $6.5. It turns out that most players prefer to use DCB as a payment option to play mobile games and purchase in-game content.
If you’re considering joining the DCB trend or want to understand how it works, this guide is for you. We’ll explore the benefits of using carrier billing for casino transactions and discuss all the potential drawbacks you need to know. We’ll also cover top Canadian casinos that accept this payment method. Keep reading!
The Big Three Carriers in Canada
To fully understand the concept of direct carrier billing, we’ll start by discussing the key players in the Canadian mobile market. Presently, Canada is home to three major carriers, known as “The Big Three.” Here is a brief overview of the companies:
Rogers Wireless
Launched in 1983, Rogers Wireless was formerly called Cantel or Cantel AT&T. It’s the largest national carrier in terms of network coverage and subscriber base. According to Wikipedia, this carrier network had over 13.7 million subscribers as of the second quarter of 2023.
To maintain its leading position, Rogers Wireless partnered with Ericsson in January 2020 to launch its 5G network. Today, this network is live in over 160 communities in Canada, including Ottawa, Toronto, and Montreal. Rogers Wireless also sells on-demand Android and iOS phones.
Telus Mobility
Telus Mobility is Canada’s second-largest wireless network operator, with over 10.6 million subscribers. This company operates 5G, LTE, HSPA+, and LPWA networks. Telus is known for its fast and reliable network connection. A 2020 study by Speedtest.net ranks it as the fastest in CA.
Telus offers a range of services, including mobile voice plans, data packages, and mobile payment solutions. Its payment service allows postpaid customers to subscribe to Skype and be billed monthly. Telus also has several online and retail stores across Canada.
Bell Mobility
Bell Mobility was founded in 1986 in Ontario, Canada, by Bell Canada. It’s the third-largest wireless carrier in Canada, with over 10 million subscribers in the third quarter of 2020. Bell Mobility uses LTE and HSPA+ networks to provide seamless mobile connections nationwide.
Interestingly, Bell Mobility and Telus Mobility share the same network infrastructure. This allows the company to operate three different networks in Canada, including 5G, which was launched in June 2020. Its 5G network covers cities like Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal.
Main Service Providers of Carrier Billing in Canada
Research shows that 5% of carrier billing customers worldwide are from Canada. But which companies provide these services to Canadians? Let’s find out below:
Bango
Bango is a Direct Carrier Billing service provider that allows Canadians to make online payments by adding the amount to their mobile phone bills. It integrates with top mobile carrier networks worldwide, including Telus and Rogers Wireless. Bango serves over 4.5 billion customers who can transact with companies like YouTube, Amazon, Microsoft, and Walmart.
Triton Global
Triton Global provides pay-by-phone services to over 25 million mobile network subscribers in Canada. Triton is a unique payment solution as it supports direct billing for goods and services for fixed-line mobile subscribers. Besides providing bill-by-phone services, this Canadian company also supports in-app payments and premium telecom services.
Kaleyra
In February 2021, Kaleyra completed the purchase of mGage, a mobile messaging service in a $215 million deal. This deal allows Kaleyra to offer DCB solutions to customers through their monthly mobile phone bills. Confirmation codes for transactions are verified via SMS or system-generated phone calls.
The Good – The Advantages of Direct Mobile Billing Casinos
Let’s face it – direct mobile billing casinos are slowly becoming the standard in the gambling space. Unlike traditional platforms that often struggle with payments and security concerns, direct mobile billing allows you to focus more on your gameplay without the distractions of complex financial transactions. Here are some reasons you need to make the switch to mobile billing casinos
Convenient Payments
Convenience is the key factor here. You don’t need your desktop to make payments as everything is available with a single screen tap. In addition, pay-by-phone casinos allow you to play now and pay later. This means you can play even during your Monday blues.
Instant Payments
Most gamblers are not patient enough to wait for payments to reflect on their casino accounts. Direct Carrier Billing solves this problem by providing instant casino deposits. There are no banks or card providers to slow down transactions with verification checks.
Easy to Use
The simplicity of these payment methods is on another level. You only need a mobile phone number to get an SMS confirmation while making a casino deposit. Other methods like credit/debit cards and Bank Wire may require gamers to enter critical bank details before transacting.
Zero Risks
All mobile phone bill casino payments are processed with a one-time SMS. In other words, you don’t need to share personal financial details with the casino to process your payments. This reduces the chances of exposing your vital information to online scammers and hackers.
Play Without Registration
Casino sign-up processes can be long and tiring, with some gamers giving up altogether. Thankfully, some carrier billing casinos allow you to skip the registration and KYC processes. Instead, these casinos will collect the details from your mobile phone bill provider.
The Bad – Google and Apple Don’t Offer Carrier Billing Services for iGaming
Google Play is an excellent example of how Direct Carrier Billing works. You can make in-app purchases on this app store using different payment methods, including phone bills. In Canada, this service partners with carriers like Telus to offer DCB with the charges added to your phone bill. Impressively, Bango provides the platform that enables these payments to be processed smoothly between Google Play and the carriers.
Unfortunately, Google doesn’t allow you to use Google Play credits to make casino deposits. Instead, these credits can only be used to purchase items on the Google Play Store, such as apps, games, music, books, movies, and more. Here is the reference link explaining what they allow.
To make casino deposits, you need to explore other payment methods, such as credit or debit cards, e-wallets, or bank transfers. However, it’s possible that some casinos will start accepting Google Play credits in the future. Presently, the only alternative is GPay which is an ewallet, and doesn’t offer mobile carrier billing. Here’s a video explaining why you can’t convert Google Play credits to GPay:
Apple Doesn’t Allow Carrier Billing in the US and Canada
The story is the same for Canadian Apple users, unfortunately. If you’re hoping to make casino deposits through mobile phone billing via Apple Pay, you might have to reconsider your options. The US tech giant outlines the available payment methods in your Apple Account, and, sadly, mobile phone billing is not included on the list for users in Canada. It’s worth noting that this payment option is accessible in many other countries, particularly in Europe.
You can see the countries where Apple allows direct carrier billing here.
Google and Apple Alternatives for Carrier Billing Casinos in Canada
One thing is evident – online casinos don’t provide Canadian phone bill services. However, you can still enjoy the convenience of this mobile-based service by playing at offshore casinos, especially UK or European casinos. Below are some top choices to consider:
Boku
Many casino sites worldwide process Boku payments. Based in Derbyshire, UK, Boku allows casino players to make quick and convenient deposits using major European phone networks. You can use Boku to make casino phone bill deposits using networks like Vodafone, O2, and EE. Boku’s 2017 collaboration with Microsoft to support Windows 10 carrier billing suggests the potential for widespread availability in Canada and we hope to see that happen soon. Presently, Boku has a monthly limit of $240.
PayForIt
Launched in 2006, PayForIt is a direct carrier billing service provider jointly owned by EE, Vodafone, 3, and O2. This payment method provides mobile phone users with a safe and convenient way to purchase online content like games and movies. You only need a phone number to make casino deposits using PayForIt. However, you can only deposit a maximum of $30 daily. Note that some casinos can also have monthly limits.
Fonix
Fonix is another UK-based mobile phone bill service that’s becoming popular in online gaming. Fonix partners with popular UK carriers like EE and Vodafone to allow players to initiate casino deposits with identity confirmations via SMS. However, the convenience of depositing using any device makes this option stand out. You can deposit with your smartphone, tablet, laptop, or even TV.
Siru Mobile
Last on our list is Siru Mobile. This innovative payment solution is based in Helsinki, Finland. Siru Mobile provides one of the fastest and most straightforward phone bill deposits. You only need to dial the mobile phone number and enter the code provided by the casino to receive a confirmation SMS. However, this method often comes with fees that can reach 33%.
Status of Carrier Billing Casinos in Europe and the UK
The invention of mobile phones in the 80s ultimately changed many things. These little devices allow us to dip into our pockets and make phone calls at cost-effective rates. Smartphone technology has improved things by enabling mobile phone users to play casino games, stream music, browse the internet, and more.
A few decades later, real-time phone billing is a reality. Europe and the UK, in particular, have led the way in embracing this new online payment style. It all started in the early 2000s when Telefónica and Bango signed a deal to provide pay-by-phone bill payments to UK customers. This laid the ground for DCB to become what it is today.
However, phone bill casinos have since become controversial, with some critics likening it to credit card gambling. In 2020, the UK Gambling Commission banned the use of credit cards to fund casino or sportsbook accounts. Australia also announced a ban on credit cards in online gambling. Fortunately, none of these jurisdictions have discussed banning phone bill casino transactions.
Sadly, these bans have made it difficult to find phone bill casinos. Most UK casinos don’t offer phone bill payments due to fear of being reprimanded by the Commission. Thankfully, you can still enjoy remote mobile-based payments with options like Zimpler and Klarna. Zimpler is especially common in Europe, allowing gamers to make casino deposits with one-time SMS codes.
Alternatives to Carrier Billing Casinos to Still Pay Via Mobile
The good thing about gambling online is the unending payment alternatives. You can pay via dozens of mobile-based solutions. Let’s take a look at some top options below:
Mobile E-Wallets
E-wallets are arguably the best casino payment method as far as convenience is concerned. These banking methods are easy and convenient, as you only need an email or phone number to open an e-wallet account. You can fund the wallet using your credit/debit card or another verified wallet to enjoy instant casino payments.
Here are some top mobile-based options:
- MuchBetter: Founded in 2017, MuchBetter is an Android/iOS mobile app available at most Canadian casinos. You only need a registered phone number to create an account with a 4-digit access code and fund it with your credit card. This option is often available for two-way casino payments.
- eZeeWallet: Founded in May 2020, this new web wallet is rapidly gaining traction in the online gaming sector. To start using eZeeWallet, download the mobile app, then use your email to register. You can fund your eZeeWallet account using 50+ banking methods, including credit cards.
- MiFinity: Available in 2020+ countries, MiFinity is a UK-based e-wallet with standalone Android and iOS apps. It works like any other web wallet by allowing you to make a deposit using your bank account or credit card. For more convenience, MiFinity also allows Gigadat Interac deposits or alternatives to fund your account with an APM.
Alternative Mobile Payment Apps
Besides e-wallets, there are several other alternative payment options at phone bill casinos in Canada. Here are some of them:
- Interac e-Transfer: Founded in 2003, this online banking method has cemented its spot as one of the most secure options to send and receive online gambling money. It uses Interac’s expansive banking infrastructure in Canada to allow casino transactions with 200+ banks and credit unions. Notable Interac solutions include Loonio, Payper, and PayDirect.
- Credit/Debit Cards: Payment cards like Visa, Mastercard, and Maestro have been a mainstay in the iGaming sector for decades. These methods provide secure channels to make casino deposits and withdrawals using your bank account. The only drawback here is that payouts can take 3-5 days.
- Apple Pay/Google Pay: You can also use Apple Pay for iOS or Google Pay for Android to make secure casino deposits. These methods use your linked credit/debit card to fund your Apple Account or Google Wallet before allowing instant casino deposits. And yes, some phone bill casinos support Samsung Pay payments.
- Bank Wire: Sometimes you don’t need to involve any third parties to make casino payments to and from your bank account. With Bank Wire, you can link your Canadian bank account to the casino and make payments while enjoying bank-grade security. However, this option is rarely available for casino deposits.
What’s the Future of Mobile Billing in the iGaming Space?
The phone bill casino payment wave has boiled down lately. The recent bans on credit card gambling in countries like the UK and Australia mean that phone bills could be next on the chopping board. It’s only a matter of time before other jurisdictions (including Canada) start clamping down on credit card gambling.
However, there’s still hope that phone bill casinos can thrive. Many iGaming regulators worldwide allow these payment methods because the maximum amount you can deposit is relatively low. Consider Boku, for example, which provides gamers with a maximum transaction limit of $30 daily or $240 monthly. These caps can also promote responsible gaming.
So, overall, casinos can adopt Direct Carrier Billing to provide more secure and responsible payment solutions. We can also argue that the odds favour phone bills to thrive now that credit card gambling is becoming a ‘hot’ topic. The best online casinos already use phone bills to provide mobile-based gaming on the fly without the bothersome sign-up or KYC processes.
FAQs About Direct Carrier Billing Casinos
How long do carrier billing transactions take?
Most casino deposits using pay-by-phone bills are instant. However, you may have to wait up to 60 seconds to receive a confirmation SMS.
Does Direct Carrier Billing have any charges?
Yes, this payment method can involve charges like transaction and processing fees. Thankfully, most online casinos offering this payment method have no transaction charges. Still, read the casino payment terms to know if there are any transaction fees.
Are phone bills available for casino withdrawals?
No, you cannot use your phone bill method to request casino payouts. Instead, consider options like MiFinity, MuchBetter, and eCashout for instant casino withdrawals. Cryptocurrencies are also excellent alternatives.
Can I get a carrier billing gift card after making a casino deposit?
Yes, you can receive a carrier billing gift card after making a deposit, including casino transactions. Most times, you'll get the gift card directly by email.
