The Big M Casino is not a building. It is a pair of ships that leave the dock at 4491 Mineola Avenue in Little River and steam out past the three-mile line before a single machine is switched on. It rates 4.3 from nearly 3,000 Google reviewers, a respectable score for an operation that asks you to sit on a boat for the best part of an hour before you can play.
That model exists because South Carolina has no casino on land: no commercial or tribal casinos, no card rooms, no racetracks. Section 12-21-2710 of the state code prohibits slot machines, video poker and any other device pertaining to games of chance. If you want a live blackjack table in South Carolina, you get on a boat.
Why the boat has to sail three miles
State jurisdiction over the Atlantic runs three nautical miles from shore. Inside that line the ship is in South Carolina and the state's gambling rules apply; beyond it, they do not. So the Big M leaves Little River Inlet, motors roughly 45 minutes to an hour out to sea, and only once it has crossed the line does the gaming floor open. On the return the process runs in reverse: play stops at the line and the last stretch is the ride home. A five-hour sailing therefore yields three to four hours of play.
Little River sits a mile south of the North Carolina border, and much of the trade drives down from the Wilmington side. Casino boats have docked here since 2008.
The two ships
Ship I is the smaller vessel, with around 159 gaming machines (an early-2025 company figure). Ship II joined the fleet in 2015, is the larger at roughly 249 machines, and carries most of the schedule. Both run live dealers.
The table spread as listed: blackjack, roulette, Three Card Poker and Let It Ride, with craps and Texas Hold'em on some listings. Ship II's own page currently says only "slots, roulette and card table games", so do not plan a trip around craps without ringing ahead.
Schedule and boarding price
At the time of writing (September 2026) the published schedule is:
- Ship I: Tuesdays only. Day cruise 11am to 4pm, evening cruise 6pm to 11pm.
- Ship II: Wednesday through Sunday, the same two sailings.
- Neither ship sails on Mondays.
Boarding is $20 per person, fee and taxes included, rising to $30 for the Saturday evening cruise. Half of that $20 is a per-passenger port tax paid to Horry County, which was weighing an increase in 2026. Ships leave promptly.
It is still sailing: the schedule page was live with these prices when we checked this month, and Google and Yelp reviews run into September 2026. What has changed from the "365 days, both ships" era is the rotation, with one ship covering a single day and Mondays dark.
Food, cash and the small print
The official line on food is $10 subs and wraps available throughout the cruise. A buffet has run in past seasons and some third-party listings still mention one; treat it as possible rather than promised.
The games take cash only. The boarding fee can go on a card, but once aboard you are playing with notes, and the onboard ATM charges. Smoking is outside decks only; dress is casual but no swimwear, and shirt and shoes at all times.
Age and ID
You must be 21 or older to board, with valid government-issued photo ID, and the company says there are no exceptions. That is a higher bar than the state's sweepstakes sites, which take players from 18.
Alternatives
There is no alternative floor in South Carolina; the Big M is the entire in-person market. The nearest land-based casinos are across the North Carolina line in the mountains, four to five hours from the coast. For why the state has nothing else, see our South Carolina gambling laws guide.
FAQ
How far out does the Big M Casino go before you can gamble?
Three nautical miles, to the edge of state waters, roughly 45 minutes to an hour after leaving Little River.
How long is a Big M Casino cruise?
About five hours dock to dock: 11am to 4pm by day, 6pm to 11pm in the evening. Expect three to four hours of actual play.
How old do you have to be to sail on the Big M Casino?
21, with government-issued photo ID. No exceptions.
Is it legal to gamble on the Big M Casino?
The ships open their floors only outside state waters, where South Carolina's rules on gambling do not reach. On land the state prohibits gambling devices outright, which is why the operation exists as a boat at all.
Rather play from your couch tonight? See our South Carolina sweepstakes rankings.
Updated September 2026 · Schedule, prices and age policy verified against the operator's official site; machine counts from early-2025 press statements. Sailings change with season and weather — confirm before you drive.
