RANGERS will have to shell out at least £500,000 to the SPFL from the Premiership play-offs - after the clubs voted to retain the levy.

The governing body is entitled to bank half of the ticket money from the end-of-season series that will kick off next month.

The Gers, currently in second spot in the Championship table, and one point ahead of Hibs with two games remaining, will be involved in the matches.

Stuart McCall's side is certain to attract huge crowds to Ibrox for any of the matches they play in no matter what stage they start at.

Even if they only play in one game before being knocked out, they will have to give the SPFL 50 per cent of their gate receipts before costs - around £500,000.

If they were to play in three matches at home - one leg of the quarter-final, semi-final and final - they would have to pay out over £1 million.

That could mean the League One champions would give the SPFL more than double the £342,000 they will receive for finishing second if they reach the final.

They will also have to pay up within seven days of each match being played - while they will need to wait until August to receive £232,000 of their £342,000 prize money.

The SPFL clubs voted to retain the Premiership play-off levy at Hampden yesterday.

Regulation C26 states: "A levy of 50% of the monies (gross excluding VAT) received or receivable by the Home Club for all Play-Off Matches played in the Premiership/Championship PlayOff Competition from all admission charges paid and payable to and for the relevant Play-Off Match shall be paid by the Home Club to the Company within seven days of the date on which each Play-Off Match is played."

Hibs had to pay the SPFL £200,000 when they were relegated from the top flight last summer - but the Easter Road club received a £500,000 parachute payment.

Rangers will be due Newcastle United a £500,000 bonus payment if they win promotion to the Premiership under the terms of a controversial loan deal agreed before the current regime took power.

The St. James' Park club, owned by Gers shareholder Mike Ashley, loaned their Scottish counterparts five players until the end of the 2014/15 campaign at the end of the January transfer window.

Of that quintet, only Haris Vuckic has played regularly with Remie Streete played for less than 45 minutes before getting injured. Kevin Mbabu, Gael Bigirimana and Shane Ferguson are all injured and unlikely to play at all.

The SPFL revealed in December it would withhold £250,000 of broadcast money to cover a fine imposed on the oldco for breaching EBT regulations.