To provide a binding machine for smoothly pulling out a tape which is adequately long enough for the thickness of an item to be bound for efficient and satisfactory binding.

A slider 36 provided with a guide panel 38 and a tape presser 42 for holding the free end 22 of a binding tape 20 and a cutter 40 is reciprocally moved in a holder 32 working with the grip operation of an operation lever 68. The free end 22 is pulled out from a tape guide 30 by a tape pull-out arm 70 rotated working with the grip operation of the lever 68, an item to be bound is pressed against the tape 20 pulled out, and the tape 20 is cut by the rotary movement of the arm 70. In so doing, before the free end 22 is pulled out and before the item to be bound is pressed against the tape 20 (after it is completely pulled out), the binding tape 20 in a case 12 goes slack by a slack forming mechanism for pulling out smoothly.