Casino cruises off Carolina coast compete with new North Carolina gambling options

Other gambling options available to North Carolina residents include mobile sports betting and a full casino in the North Carolina mountains. Another full casino is slated to open in 2026 just 35 miles west of Charlotte.

The coastal casino is comprised of two ships known as the Big M Casino, located at Little River, South Carolina — about a mile south of the Brunswick County, North Carolina line on U.S. 17.

The two casino ships that sail year-round feature slot machines, table games, dining options, and ocean views, company officials said.

Both ships have live dealer games such as blackjack, roulette, 3 Card Poker, and Let It Ride.

Ship I has 159 gaming machines while the larger vessel, Ship II, features 249 machines, the company says.

New slot machines were recently added to the boats, according to Eda Ekincigil, the company’s marketing coordinator.

“The casino pays out an average of $383,000 per week,” Ekincigil said in a release to CBS 17.

From North Carolina beaches near Sunset Beach, the boats can be seen departing the Little River Inlet where they then head south off the coast of the North Carolina southern-facing islands of Brunswick County.

The ships can operate by first traveling 3 miles out to sea — beyond the South Carolina maritime borders but still in the United States, which has no federal gaming laws. Once the ships arrive offshore, the gambling can begin.

The company says the trip offers “a unique combination of luxury yacht experiences and Vegas-style gaming.”

Both ships offer an early afternoon and evening cruise every day except Mondays, although Ship II was in for dry dock in January. Cruises are occasionally canceled over high seas and strong winds.

The cost for a trip without a meal is $20 with half of that going to pay a port tax for Horry County, South Carolina.

As of April of last year, the tax has brought in $15.6 million for the county, which is home to Myrtle Beach, Ekincigil said.

by Rodney Overton