Online Casinos That Accept SMS Deposits in the UK

This guide covers changing Boku availability, phone-bill and PAYG charges, deposit limits, and practical restrictions on casino payments.

Why SMS deposits are getting harder to find in the UK

Finding online casinos that accept SMS deposits is no longer as straightforward as it once was. In the UK, the small group of operators that still accepts Boku is getting smaller, and the change has been noticeable since 2023. If you remember seeing “Pay by Phone” or Boku listed in a casino cashier and now cannot find it, you are not imagining things. Several operators have removed the option, while others have replaced it with a different mobile-payment service or dropped pay-by-phone deposits altogether.

That is why searches for casinos with Pay by Phone can produce outdated results. A page may still name an operator that used to accept Boku, even though the payment option has disappeared from its current cashier. Availability can change at operator level, so an old list is not enough evidence that a particular casino still accepts this type of SMS casino deposit.

The important point is that the UK Gambling Commission did not introduce a rule specifically banning Boku. There was no named prohibition aimed at this payment method. Instead, individual casino operators decided that continuing to offer it created too much compliance risk. Once enough operators reached that conclusion, the choice became much narrower for players looking for casinos that pay by SMS in the UK.

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The UK licensing position

The UK Gambling Commission is the main regulator for commercial gambling in Great Britain. It oversees gambling activity, including online casino services, and issues operating licences to gambling businesses. It also grants personal licences to individuals whose roles require them to be licensed.

For remote gambling, the key issue is where the customer is being served, not simply where the operator’s servers, offices or other equipment are located. A business offering remote casino gambling to consumers in Great Britain must have the relevant Gambling Commission licence. In practical terms, a casino cannot avoid the British licensing system merely by running its technology from another country.

That framework matters when you are checking whether a casino offering Pay by Phone is legitimate for the British market. A payment logo on a review page or an old promotional page does not establish that the operator is currently authorised. Before depositing, check the casino’s licence details against the Gambling Commission’s public register. This is especially worth doing when the payment option itself is becoming less common and outdated information is easy to find.

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A UK-licensed casino must meet the regulator’s requirements for remote gambling. The licence is not an endorsement of every payment method the operator offers, and it does not mean Boku will remain available indefinitely. It simply establishes that the business is authorised to provide gambling services to the relevant market under the applicable rules.

Why operators have stepped back from Boku

Boku is a recognisable name, but payment methods are not permanent fixtures in a casino account. Operators review them against their compliance responsibilities, technical arrangements and internal risk policies. Since 2023, that review has generally moved against direct Boku deposits. Some casinos have taken the option away completely; others have looked for another Pay by Phone route.

The result is a market with a small, identifiable group of UK-licensed casinos still accepting Boku, rather than a broad choice of casinos with Pay by SMS. Even where a casino has previously supported the service, you should treat the cashier as the current reference point. A dated review, forum comment or comparison table can describe an earlier position and still sound convincing.

This also explains why the phrase “SMS deposit” can be slightly misleading. People often use it to describe any deposit confirmed through a mobile phone, but the casino may support only one particular provider, or may use the broader label Pay by Phone for a different service. Boku’s declining availability has made the wording less precise, not more.

There is no contradiction between a casino being UKGC licensed and refusing Boku. Licensing determines whether the operator may offer regulated remote gambling to British consumers. It does not require the operator to support a particular deposit provider. The casino remains free to remove a payment route when its own compliance assessment no longer justifies keeping it.

What to check before trusting an old list

When looking for online casinos with Pay by SMS, separate three questions:

• Does the operator currently serve Great Britain under a Gambling Commission operating licence?
• Is Boku actually shown among the available payment methods, rather than merely mentioned on an old page?
• Does the casino still accept new customers using that route?

The first question concerns legal authorisation. The second concerns present availability. The third matters because an operator may retain a reference to Boku while restricting new registrations or changing its payment arrangements.

I would not assume that a familiar casino name guarantees a working SMS route. The market has changed, and the shrinking list is the story here. Check the licence register and the operator’s live information before you rely on a casino accepting Pay by SMS. A stale payment logo is not a payment method.

What happens when you pay by SMS

A Boku deposit is a short cashier transaction rather than a card payment. You choose Boku, enter the amount and your mobile number, then authorise the charge from your phone. The money is collected through your mobile account and credited to the casino balance, often almost immediately.

That is the basic idea behind a UK casino with Pay by Phone: no card details are entered into the casino cashier, and you do not need to connect a bank account to make the deposit.

Start in the casino cashier

First, sign in to your casino account and open the cashier. This is normally labelled Deposit, Cashier or something similar. The available payment methods depend on the operator, so look for Boku or a Pay by Phone option rather than assuming it will be shown.

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Select Boku and the cashier will ask you to enter the amount you want to deposit. Boku payments are offered in amounts divisible by ten, such as £10, £20 or £30, according to a specialist review; the cashier itself is the sensible place to confirm which amounts it currently accepts.

You then enter the mobile number linked to the phone you are using. Check the number carefully before continuing. The phone is not just being used as a way to receive a message: it identifies the mobile account that will be charged.

Once the amount and number are entered, submit the request. The casino and Boku pass the transaction to the next stage, where you confirm that you control the phone number.

Confirm the SMS message

Boku sends a text message containing a verification code or confirmation request. Read the message and enter the code in the cashier when prompted. This is the point at which you approve the payment, so do not enter a code from an unrelated message or continue if the amount shown does not match the deposit you intended to make.

The process is designed to link three details:

• the casino account receiving the deposit;
• the amount selected in the cashier;
• the mobile number used to authorise the payment.

After the code is accepted, the payment is processed. The casino balance is generally updated almost instantly, although a short delay can occur while the cashier refreshes. If the balance does not change, check the transaction status in the cashier before trying again. Repeating the payment too quickly is an easy way to create confusion over which request was approved.

That is the whole casino pay-by-SMS flow: choose Boku, enter the deposit details, receive the text, confirm the code and wait for the balance to update.

Where the money comes from

Boku does not take the deposit from a casino wallet or a separate Boku balance. The charge is passed to your mobile network operator.

With a monthly mobile contract, the payment appears on the phone bill. It is treated as a charge associated with that mobile account, rather than as a debit-card transaction. The exact way it is displayed can depend on the network and the billing arrangement, but the important point is that the casino deposit is collected through your phone service.

Attention A Boku deposit is a short cashier transaction rather than a card payment and is not anonymous.

With a PAYG phone, the amount is deducted from the available prepaid credit. If there is not enough credit to cover the requested deposit, the transaction is declined. In that situation, adding funds to the phone does not automatically complete the failed casino payment; you would need to return to the cashier and start the deposit again.

Boku therefore suits a particular kind of payment habit. You can pay without typing card details and without using a bank account, but you must have access to the mobile number and an available way for the network to collect the charge. A monthly bill and PAYG credit work differently, even though both use the same phone-based authorisation.

What you see during the transaction

The wording varies between casinos, but the screens generally follow the same order. The cashier displays Boku as the selected method, asks for the deposit amount and mobile number, and then sends you to SMS confirmation. A successful code submission leads back to the casino, where the funds are added to your playing balance.

If the text does not arrive, check that the number was entered correctly and that the phone can receive messages. Avoid submitting several new requests at once. If the code is rejected, read the current cashier prompt carefully and use the active message rather than an older code.

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A failed payment does not mean the casino has received the money. The cashier should show whether the transaction was completed or declined. If the status is unclear, checking the account history or contacting the operator is safer than making another deposit immediately.

The practical appeal is clear: the phone performs both jobs, receiving the authorisation message and passing the charge to the mobile account. It is simple, but not anonymous. The casino still has your registered gambling account, while Boku uses the mobile number to approve the payment. Small detail, important distinction.

How to judge whether a pay-by-phone casino suits you

A casino accepting Pay by Phone is not automatically the right casino for you. The payment option solves one particular problem: it lets you fund an account through your mobile connection rather than using a debit card or bank account. That may be exactly what you need, or it may create awkward restrictions elsewhere. I would check the whole route before registering, not stop at the sight of a familiar payment logo.

Start with the payment route

First, decide why you want to use Pay by Phone. It can make sense if you prefer not to enter card details, do not want to use a bank account for a casino deposit, or simply want the payment taken through your mobile service. It is less suitable if you need a flexible way to move money in and out of the account, because Pay by Phone is a deposit method rather than a complete casino banking solution.

That distinction matters. Before you add funds, look at the cashier and identify an available withdrawal method, such as a debit card, e-wallet or bank transfer. Winnings cannot be sent back through Boku. You should therefore be comfortable registering and, where required, verifying another payment route before you play. A deposit can be easy; getting paid is a separate job.

I also check that the payment method is shown inside the casino’s own cashier, rather than relying on an old review or a payment page that lists every service the operator has ever supported. Pay-by-phone availability changes, and a method that appeared on a casino site previously may no longer be offered to new customers. The cashier is the useful test.

Check the operator before the offer

For a UK player, the casino itself needs to be part of the legal British market. Remote operators serving consumers in Great Britain must hold the relevant UK Gambling Commission licence, even when the business or its technical equipment is based elsewhere. I would verify the licence number on the Commission’s public register before depositing.

That check is not just paperwork. A UKGC-licensed operator must provide responsible gambling controls, including account-level financial limits and self-exclusion, and it must have an internal complaints process with access to an approved Alternative Dispute Resolution service. It must also verify your age before allowing deposits. These are useful signs that you are dealing with a properly accountable operator, rather than a site that merely happens to display Boku.

Verify the casino’s licence number on the UK Gambling Commission’s public register to ensure you are dealing with a properly accountable operator.

You should also make sure the account details match your own identity and mobile number. A payment route connected to someone else’s phone can create verification problems, and an operator may ask for further checks before allowing withdrawals. The fastest deposit is not much help if the account later becomes difficult to verify.

Treat the welcome bonus as a separate decision

The phrase “casino accepts Pay by Phone” tells you how you can deposit. It does not tell you whether that deposit qualifies for a welcome offer. Bonus eligibility varies by operator, and pay-by-phone deposits are commonly excluded from promotional terms.

Read the bonus page and its full terms before depositing. Look specifically for:

• payment methods excluded from the offer;
• whether a Pay by Phone deposit counts as a qualifying deposit;
• the minimum deposit condition, if one applies;
• wagering rules attached to bonus funds;
• expiry rules for bonus money or spins;
• any withdrawal restrictions linked to accepting the promotion.

Do not assume that a payment method listed beside a bonus banner is included in the offer. Promotional pages are often written to catch the eye; the payment exclusions are where the useful detail sits. A plain deposit without a bonus may be preferable if the promotion does not recognise your chosen route.

A specialist review has confirmed Pay by Phone deposits as bonus-eligible at MrQ, Duelz, Mr Vegas and Videoslots. Treat that as a check for those particular operator-method combinations, not as a permanent rule for every casino. Operators can change their cashier and promotional terms, so read the live conditions at the point of registration.

Other reviewed casinos had no specific Boku deposit restrictions, while Boku deposits generally came without a dedicated Boku bonus. That is different from saying every welcome offer accepts them. The wording may look similar, but the practical result is not.

Compare the trade-offs honestly

When judging the best Pay by Phone casino for your circumstances, rank the features that affect the entire account:

1. A valid UKGC licence verified on the public register.
2. A working Pay by Phone option visible in the live cashier.
3. A usable withdrawal route that you are prepared to register and verify.
4. Clear bonus wording confirming whether your deposit qualifies.
5. Responsible gambling controls that are available before and after your first deposit.
6. Straightforward account verification, including use of your own mobile details.

This approach is more reliable than choosing a casino because it appears on a list of sites accepting SMS deposits. Lists age quickly, while the cashier and terms tell you what is available to you now.

Finally, consider whether the promotion is worth shaping your payment choice around. If you mainly want a simple deposit and do not care about bonus funds, the offer may be irrelevant. If the bonus is important, confirm eligibility first and only then choose the payment route. Otherwise, you can complete the deposit perfectly and still discover that the promotion was never attached to it.

A small check beforehand saves a larger irritation later.

The deposit limits to check before you try Boku

The figure most often attached to a Boku casino deposit in the UK is £30 per transaction. That is the amount to expect when a casino shows Boku as a Pay by Phone option, but it is not a promise that every cashier will use the same ceiling. A specialist review reports that some casinos and mobile network operators may permit a larger transaction of £40 or £50.

Treat those higher figures as operator- or network-specific settings, not as a general Boku entitlement. The amount shown in the casino cashier is the useful figure for that particular account. If the cashier accepts only £30, changing the casino’s own deposit page will not make a larger payment go through.

Casino limits and network limits are separate

There are two controls to keep apart when you check an online casino with SMS deposits:

• the limit set by the casino for one deposit;
• the limit applied by Boku or the mobile network over a payment period.

The first one belongs to the operator. It may be displayed beside the payment method or appear when you enter the amount. The second one can stop a payment even when the casino itself appears willing to accept it. A successful deposit earlier in the day may therefore affect what you can do later.

Published descriptions of the network-level ceiling do not use one consistent structure. One account gives a maximum of £10 per transaction and £30 per day. Another gives £30 per day but does not specify any separate per-transaction limit. That difference matters: the two descriptions do not support the same assumption about how a casino deposit with SMS is divided.

So check both parts rather than relying on a single headline number. A casino may display a transaction allowance while the mobile operator applies its own daily ceiling in the background. The lower control wins. Payment systems enjoy making that distinction important.

Attention The lower control wins. If the casino’s transaction limit and the mobile network’s daily limit differ, the lower limit will apply.

Who applies the daily ceiling?

Daily Boku limits are described in a specialist review as being enforced by the mobile operator, rather than by the casino. In practical terms, the casino sends the payment request, but the network can still reject it after its own threshold has been reached. The casino may then show a declined payment without being able to increase the available amount.

That is why contacting the casino is not always enough when a Pay by Phone deposit fails after earlier use. The operator can confirm whether its cashier has a Boku limit, but the network controls the mobile account’s payment allowance described above. Any applicable daily limit can therefore follow your phone account across casinos that use the same service.

The same point applies when a casino advertises Boku as available. Availability does not mean that every permitted amount will be accepted at every moment. You still need to consider the casino’s per-transaction setting, the network’s daily control, and any smaller restriction shown during checkout.

What to check before confirming

Before attempting a deposit, look for these details in the payment panel or the operator’s terms:

1. The casino’s maximum for one Boku transaction. The commonly quoted UK figure is £30, while a specialist review records £40 or £50 at some casinos and networks.
2. Whether the network imposes a separate daily limit. One description states £10 per transaction and £30 per day; another states £30 per day without naming a transaction cap.
3. Whether your earlier mobile payments have used part of the daily allowance. A network-level limit can apply beyond the casino where the previous payment was made.
4. Which figure appears at confirmation. The final cashier screen is more relevant to your account than a general payment-method description.

Do not treat a failed larger amount as evidence that Boku is unavailable altogether. The request may simply exceed the smaller limit currently applied by the casino or network. Trying an amount within the displayed allowance can distinguish a transaction-cap problem from a wider payment failure, without assuming that the higher figures apply to your phone account.

What has replaced Boku at some casinos

Boku is no longer the only name to look for when you want to pay by phone. Since 2023, some operators have moved to Fonix or Siru Mobile, while others have removed Pay by Phone options altogether. The change is best treated as a moving market position: a specialist review reported these replacements, but a cashier can change after the review was published.

The alternatives are not interchangeable. A casino may support one service without supporting the others, so the payment page matters more than an old list of “top SMS casino sites”. For instance, a specialist review identified MrQ and Duelz as accepting Fonix, while Mr Vegas and Videoslots were reported as accepting Siru Mobile. That does not make them permanent recommendations; it tells you which service to look for when checking a particular cashier.

There is also a route that keeps Boku in the background rather than using it directly at the casino. A specialist review reported that players could fund a Neteller account with Boku and then use Neteller at a casino accepting that wallet. In practice, this gives you another way to reach casinos that no longer display Boku but still offer Neteller as a deposit choice.

Boku is a deposit-only service. It can fund a Neteller account, which then allows you to use Neteller at a casino accepting that wallet.

That workaround adds a separate account and another set of payment conditions, so it is worth checking the full route before committing money. You need to confirm that Boku can fund Neteller for your mobile account and that the casino accepts Neteller deposits. The casino’s own cashier is the useful final check, not a general page describing the best SMS online casino UK options.

Whichever route you choose, check the operator’s UK Gambling Commission licence on the public register before depositing. A payment logo does not establish that the gambling site is authorised for British customers. The same caution applies to newer mobile services: availability, account requirements and acceptance can change independently at the casino.

For a direct Boku replacement, look for Fonix or Siru Mobile. If neither appears, Neteller funded through Boku may be an option, provided both sides of that chain support the transaction. Otherwise, the Pay by Phone facility may simply have disappeared. A small consolation, admittedly.

Phone-bill charges, PAYG credit and what they mean

A Boku deposit takes the money from your mobile account rather than from a bank card. With a monthly contract, the charge is added to your phone bill. You may see it alongside your other mobile services when the bill arrives, so the casino payment is handled through your network account instead of appearing as a separate card transaction.

That is the practical meaning behind an SMS billing casino: the phone network collects the deposit, while Boku passes the payment information between the mobile account and the casino. Your bank balance is not used for the deposit, and you do not need to enter card details. It is still a real-money gambling payment, though, so the casino must complete its normal age and account checks before allowing you to fund the account.

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PAYG works differently. There is no later monthly invoice. The Boku payment is taken from the credit already available on the handset. If that balance cannot cover the requested deposit, the transaction will not go through. A specialist review reports the rule plainly: a PAYG customer cannot deposit more than the remaining phone balance through Boku. In other words, the available credit becomes the immediate ceiling for a casino SMS bill payment, regardless of what the cashier appears to offer.

This can catch you out when you top up a phone for calls and data, then try to use the same balance for SMS billing slots. The money is shared between those uses. A low PAYG balance may leave the payment declined, even when the casino account itself is ready to accept deposits.

For contract customers, the charge belongs to the mobile bill rather than the casino’s card-processing system. For PAYG customers, it reduces the prepaid balance at the time of payment. Either way, keep an eye on the mobile account as well as the gambling account. The phone is acting as the funding source, not merely as a way to receive messages.

That distinction matters. A “casino SMS billing” option may look like a small digital payment button, but the cost follows the billing arrangement attached to your number. Monthly bill or prepaid credit — that is the whole split.

Using your mobile network for a casino deposit

A Pay by Phone deposit depends on two services working together: the casino’s cashier and your mobile network. In the UK, the networks listed as supporting Pay by Mobile and Fonix are EE, O2, Vodafone and Three. That gives you a useful first check before you spend time looking for a mobile casino deposit option.

Your casino account still needs to offer the relevant payment service. A supported network alone does not mean that every casino will show Boku, Fonix or another Pay by Phone option in its cashier. Payment availability is set at the operator’s end, while network compatibility is handled by the mobile provider. Both sides have to line up.

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With Boku, the mobile number is central to the transaction. In the casino cashier, you select Boku, enter the deposit amount and provide the number linked to your phone. Boku then sends an SMS verification code to that number. You enter the code to confirm that you control the phone and approve the deposit.

That is the important distinction between a normal card form and an SMS phone-bill casino payment: the phone number is not just contact information. It identifies the mobile route used to authorise the transaction. If the number is entered incorrectly, the confirmation message cannot reach you and the payment cannot be completed.

I check the network before trying anything else. If you use EE, O2, Vodafone or Three, the network is among those supporting the listed Pay by Phone services. You should still look at the cashier for the specific casino and payment method available to your account. A missing Boku button is not fixed by repeatedly requesting a new code.

Keep the phone with you during the deposit. The verification message is part of the authorisation process, so access to the handset and its active number matters. Once the casino displays the payment option, the practical test is simple: can your number receive the SMS and can the cashier accept the code? That is the whole mobile-access hurdle.

SMS deposits and online slots: the practical limits

A Pay by Phone deposit changes how money reaches your casino balance; it does not create a separate type of slot game. Once the casino credits the deposit, you use the balance on the slots available at that operator, subject to the same account, age and responsible-gambling controls that apply to other deposits.

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That distinction matters when you see phrases such as “SMS slots” or “SMS casino sites UK”. The SMS part describes the funding route, not the games. You are not playing through a text message, and the phone service does not alter the slot’s rules, features or stake controls. It simply moves money into the gambling account.

In Britain, online slot play also has fixed safeguards. The maximum stake per game cycle is £5 for customers aged 25 and over, and £2 for customers aged 18 to 24. The £5 limit for all adults took effect on 9 April 2025. Autoplay is not permitted, and each online slot spin must last at least 2.5 seconds. Those restrictions come from the British gambling framework, not from Boku.

The timing of a bonus can be more important than the deposit route. A Pay by Phone deposit may be accepted for play while the operator treats it differently for promotional purposes, so do not assume that a deposit made by SMS activates a welcome offer. If the casino does allow it, read the conditions before using the balance.

A specialist review reports that bonus funds expire within 30 days and bonus spins within 72 hours. Treat those deadlines as operator-specific terms to verify in the promotion itself, rather than as a universal rule for every SMS deposit slot offer. Missing a deadline can remove promotional value even though your deposited cash remains separate from the bonus.

Finally, Boku is a deposit method only. It can put funds into the casino account for slot play, but it cannot receive winnings. Before choosing a Pay by Phone casino, make sure the account offers a separate withdrawal method. Otherwise, the easy part is covered and the cash-out is not.

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What an SMS casino payment can’t cover

Boku is useful for putting money into a casino account, but it stops there. It is a deposit-only service, so it cannot receive winnings or send casino funds back to your mobile bill. That applies whether you call it a Pay by Phone deposit, a casino SMS payment, or an SMS bill payment.

This is the point that is easy to miss when you are choosing an online casino with SMS payment in the UK. The deposit may be accepted through Boku, yet the same cashier will still need another route for any withdrawal. Your winnings cannot simply be returned by text message, added to PAYG credit, or placed on your phone bill.

Set up a separate withdrawal method before you fund the account. Depending on what the operator supports, that might be a debit card, an e-wallet, or a bank transfer. The important thing is not the label but the practical route: you need somewhere for the casino to send money if you later request a cash-out.

I would check this in the cashier and the payment terms rather than assuming that a casino offering Boku also offers every withdrawal option. Payment methods can have different roles, and the presence of one does not confirm the availability of another. A casino SMS payment is an entry route, not a complete money-in-and-money-out service.

Also confirm that the operator is licensed by the UK Gambling Commission before depositing. Legal online casinos serving Great Britain must hold the relevant licence, and the Commission’s public register is the place to verify it. That check matters here because you are handing over money before you have tested the withdrawal process.

The simple rule is: Boku gets funds in; a separate approved method gets funds out. Plan the second half first.

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Checking casino offers when you pay by phone

A Pay by Phone deposit does not automatically activate a welcome offer. Each operator decides which payment methods qualify, and the answer can differ even when two casinos advertise similar promotions. Before depositing, open the bonus terms and look specifically for exclusions covering Boku, SMS payments or mobile-billing deposits. The headline offer is not the full contract.

A typical UK promotion described in a specialist review is a 100% match on deposits, capped at £100, with winnings subject to a 35x wagering requirement. That structure is only an illustration of the type of offer you may encounter, not a promise that a Pay by Phone deposit will trigger it. The terms may also set rules for eligible games, qualifying deposits and the time allowed to complete wagering. Read those conditions before committing money.

The same specialist review confirms bonus eligibility for Pay by Phone deposits at MrQ, Duelz, Mr Vegas and Videoslots. Treat that as a useful starting point rather than a permanent guarantee: promotions and payment rules change, so the live terms on the operator’s site take priority.

Watch for wording such as “cash deposit”, “selected payment methods” or “first deposit”. A Boku payment can be accepted by the cashier while still being excluded from the welcome reward. If the offer requires a qualifying deposit and your payment method is not listed, ask the operator’s support team before paying. Keep a record of the answer.

Also check whether accepting the promotion affects your withdrawal conditions. A bonus may look attractive, but an excluded deposit or unmet wagering rule can leave you with no promotional balance to use. The sensible choice is the casino whose current terms clearly recognise your Pay by Phone payment—not the one with the loudest banner.

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