Posted on: October 31, 2024, 10:15h.
Last updated on: October 31, 2024, 10:22h.
Gamblers in Myrtle Beach who patronize the Big M Casino boat will likely see fares increase in the coming months after local officials suggested they would raise the per-passenger entry fee.
The Horry County Council is expected to adopt Ordinance 120-2024 during its November 12 meeting. The ordinance will allow for gambling vessels to continue to be berthed inside the county limits for the specific purpose of cruising outside the county limits into international waters where gambling can commence aboard the boat.
The county’s current ordinance allowing casino boats to call Horry home is to expire on Feb. 5, 2025. While it’s good news for the Big M Casino that county officials are expected to extend the gaming vessel ordinance for another 10 years, the odds are good that the extension will come with higher costs.
Boat Surcharge
Under the current Horry County gaming boat ordinance as allowed by South Carolina’s Gambling Cruise Act, the Big M Casino pays the county $7 per customer who boards the boat. If the ordinance before the county is adopted, that rate would increase to $10 from Feb. 5, 2025, through March 31, 2025.
Beginning April 1, 2025, the fare would further increase to $15. That would remain in place for five years until the rate would yet again increase to $18 starting Jan. 1, 2030.
“On or before the 20th day of each month, every gambling vessel subject to these regulations shall make payment to the Horry County Treasurer in full for the surcharge referenced herein that has been created and accumulated in the preceding month,” Ordinance 120-2024 reads. “Quarterly verification of the three-month total surcharge due to the County shall be provided by the gambling vessel’s production of a duplicate, signed copy of its IRS Form 720 (Quarterly Federal Excise Tax Return – Line 29) provided to the Internal Revenue Service.”
The Big M Casino didn’t immediately respond to Casino.org’s inquiry about the proposed 61% price hike over the next five years.
The Big M is the only active casino cruise operator in South Carolina. The Big M Casino Ship II sails six days a week, Tuesday through Sunday, with day cruises from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m., and evening cruises from 6 p.m. until 11 p.m.
The cruises cost $20 to board, with the Saturday night cruise higher at $30. The rates include the boarding fee and taxes.
Only Gambling Option
South Carolina is one of the most restrictive states when it comes to gambling.
The Palmetto State doesn’t have commercial or tribal casinos, sports betting, online casinos, parimutuel wagering, or charitable gaming. The only legal form of gambling is the state-run lottery.
The Big M Casino has served South Carolinians wishing to test their luck since the company relocated to Myrtle Beach from Florida’s Fort Myers Beach in 2005. The Big M Casino Ship II features 250 slot machines and eight live dealer table games offering blackjack, roulette, Let It Ride, and Three-Card Poker.
Casino smoking is prohibited, though an outdoor smoking patio aboard the boat is available. The cruise offers subs, wraps, snacks, and alcoholic beverages.
The Big M Casino is berthed in Little River along the Intracoastal Waterway about two miles south of the North Carolina border.
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