Pay by Mobile Casino Fees & Surcharges: Complete UK Guide (2025)

Q: Are carrier-billing fees tax-deductible for players?

No. Gambling winnings are tax-free in the UK, but deposit processing fees are personal entertainment costs and cannot be reclaimed.

Q: Why do some casinos show £9.75 after a £10 deposit?

That’s usually a 2.5 % “handling” deduction layered on top of the carrier cut, charged by the operator’s PSP. It’s rare but legal if disclosed.

Q: Can I get a refund of the surcharge if I self-exclude?

Once processed, fees aren’t reversible. However, if you self-exclude within 24 hours, some casinos will goodwill-credit the deducted amount as bonus funds to your withdrawal method .

Q: Is it cheaper to deposit in euros or dollars?

No. Currency choice doesn’t affect the carrier fee; the mobile network still charges a percentage of the GBP-equivalent.

Q: Do carrier-billing fees count toward wagering requirements?

No, any percentage deducted before the funds reach your balance is not counted as deposited capital for wagering; only the net amount credited is eligible.

Q: Is the surcharge applied before or after the £40 daily Payforit limit?

The surcharge is applied after the carrier approves the gross amount, so the full £10 you authorise counts toward the £40 limit even if only £8.50 lands in your wallet.

Q: Are free-spin bonuses adjusted when a phone-bill fee is deducted?

Yes, casinos calculate free-spin eligibility on the net amount received, meaning a 15 % fee could push you below the minimum required for a spins package.

Q: Does the SMS confirmation itself incur a premium-rate text charge?

No, confirmation texts for Boku, Fonix, Siru, and PayviaPhone are free for UK users; they are sent via shortcodes exempt from outbound SMS billing.

Q: Will I see the carrier’s 10–15 % commission detailed on my phone bill?

No, mobile bills always list the gross charge (e.g. £10); the carrier commission is settled between the casino and billing provider off-bill.

Q: If I raise my network Spend Cap, will my phone-bill fee change?

No, altering your Spend Cap only increases the maximum you can charge; it has no effect on the percentage commission deducted by carriers or casinos.

Author:

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Last Updated: 9 May 2025

Depositing at a UK online casino by charging the payment to your phone bill is fast and card-free, but it isn’t always fee-free. Some operators absorb the carrier cost, while others pass a slice of it on to you, the player. This article drills into why fees exist, how large they typically are, which casinos (and payment providers) tend to charge them, and – crucially – how to avoid unnecessary surcharges without ditching the convenience of Pay by Mobile.

Why Do Fees Appear on Pay-by-Phone Deposits?

When you confirm a £10 Boku, Payforit or Fonix deposit, the mobile network is effectively extending you a micro-loan and handling settlement with the casino on your behalf. For that service, carriers bill the casino (or its payment gateway) a commission that can reach 10–15 % of the transaction value. Operators face three options:

Absorb the fee as a cost of doing business (most player-friendly choice).
Apply a flat surcharge (e.g., “£1 processing fee” on every phone deposit).
Credit less than you authorised (e.g., you pay £10 but only £8.50 reaches your wallet).

A minority of UK casinos choose option 2 or 3 – creating the “phone bill casino fee” complaints you’ll see on forums.

Typical Fee Structures in 2025

Fee Model	How It Looks in the Cashier	Real-World Example
Zero-fee (casino absorbs cost)	“£10 deposit ➜ £10 credited”	MrQ, Hyper Casino
Flat surcharge	“£10 deposit + £1 processing fee”	Monster Casino (15 % flat)
Net credit reduction	“£10 deposit ➜ £8.50 credited”	Select White-label Curacao sites

Provider-by-Provider Cost Snapshot

Billing Provider	Typical Merchant Commission	How Casinos Handle It
Boku	≈ 12 %	Majority absorb; a few deduct 15 % to cover VAT overhead.
Fonix (Pay by Mobile)	≈ 10 %	Similar to Boku; often fee-free due to slightly lower base rate.
Siru Mobile	≈ 15 %	Higher cut means casinos frequently pass on a flat £1 fee.
PayviaPhone	≈ 13 %	Usually billed as a 15 % deduction or bonus-ineligible deposit.

Figures are industry averages sourced from Payment Service Provider (PSP) rate cards and operator disclosures 2024–2025.

How to Spot a Surcharge

Open the casino Cashier → select Pay by Mobile → check the amount gamblingauthority.co.uk/li>
Scan the Banking FAQ section for a line like “A 15 % carrier-billing fee applies.”
Look for bonus fine print; “Deposits made via Pay by Mobile are excluded from this promotion” is a soft fee in disguise.
After deposit, cross-reference your phone bill: pay-monthly users will see the gross amount (£10), even if the net credit was less – proof a deduction occurred at casino level.

Pay by Mobile Casino Fees: Impact on Bonuses & Wagering

When a casino deducts 15 %, your effective Return-to-Player (eRTP) takes an instant hit. Combine that with a welcome bonus exclusion and you’re swimming upstream. Conversely, fee-free casinos that allow bonuses have higher play-through potential – but watch for reduced match percentages to offset their cost. Cross-check:

Does the bonus activate on a phone-bill deposit?
Is the minimum deposit for the bonus higher than the Pay by Mobile cap?
Are phone-bill deposits counted toward wagering, or are they “phantom chips” ineligible for play-through?

Six Ways to Dodge or Minimise Pay by Mobile Casino Fees

Stick to fee-free brands: our Top 5 Pay by Mobile Casinos list tracks fee status monthly.
Use phone bill for small trial deposits (e.g. £10) to test a casino, then switch to debit or Apple Pay for larger amounts.
Leverage network promotions: EE and O2 occasionally subsidise Boku fees for partner sites during marketing pushes.
Time deposits near billing cycle reset so any percentage haircut occurs just before your monthly budget refreshes.
Hunt for cashback loyalty: some casinos offset carrier costs with 10 % weekly loss cashback (effectively cancelling the fee).
Compare Siru vs Boku: if one provider deducts a flat £1 and the other takes 15 %, Siru is cheaper below £6.66, Boku cheaper above.

Regulatory Angle: PSA Transparency Rules

The OfCom/PSA Code of Practice (v.15) requires merchants to disclose all fees before the charge is authorised. Hidden deductions breach paragraph 2.6. Casinos can be fined or barred from carrier billing if they fail to display fees clearly. If you believe a deduction was undisclosed, raise a ticket with the casino; escalate to your mobile operator, then the PSA if unresolved.

Key Takeaways

Carrier fees average 10 – 15 %; whether you see them depends on the casino.
Boku and Fonix deposits are usually fee-free; Siru and PayviaPhone more often deduct.
Avoid hidden costs by reading cashier previews, bonus terms, and our regularly updated fee tracker.
If a deduction wasn’t disclosed, escalate through the PSA – the regulator is on the player’s side.

Pay by Phone Casino Fees and Surcharges FAQs

Are carrier-billing fees tax-deductible for players?

Why do some casinos show £9.75 after a £10 deposit?

Can I get a refund of the surcharge if I self-exclude?

Is it cheaper to deposit in euros or dollars?

Do carrier-billing fees count toward wagering requirements?

Is the surcharge applied before or after the £40 daily Payforit limit?

Are free-spin bonuses adjusted when a phone-bill fee is deducted?

Does the SMS confirmation itself incur a premium-rate text charge?

Will I see the carrier’s 10–15 % commission detailed on my phone bill?

If I raise my network Spend Cap, will my phone-bill fee change?

What happens to the fee if my phone-bill deposit fails mid-process?

Chris Vaughan Senior Writer & Editor

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Chris Vaughan is a Senior Writer and Editor at GamblingAuthority. He has more than 18 years of experience in the iGaming industry and has great knowledge of game developers, trending games and casino research.