The meaning of the term is quite fungible. It could mean anything from a friend who happens to be male, to a friend who is male (and gay), to someone who you have been living with for years and have children with but aren’t married to. I’ve seen it used in all those contexts and many in between.
A lot of people make a deal about dating and exclusivity. But some people have more than one guy they are dating regularly, but aren’t exclusive with. Other people have boyfriends they’ve never dated in real life. They only know them through the virtual world. People have boyfriends they have never kissed or even held hands with.
Usually, if people ask a question like this, they are asking if the relationship they have should be considered that of one with a boyfriend. If you are wondering that, then you have a boyfriend. If you want him to be a boyfriend, then you think of him as a boyfriend. All you really need is for him to agree that he is your boyfriend.
Which is my definition: a boyfriend is a male who agrees with you that he is your boyfriend.