PURPOSE: To improve the reliability of tape end detection by shortening a distance between a light emitting element and a light receiving element and arranging either one of the light emitting element and the light receiving element inside a supporting spindle.

CONSTITUTION: The supporting spindle 24 for supporting a reel board capable of attachably/detachably engaging tape reels 8, 9 wound around a magnetic tape 15 whose both ends are transparently formed is formed like a hollow. When either one of the light emitting element 39 and the light receiving elements 40, 40' is arranged in the spindle 24 and the other is arranged on a position to be relatively projected into a cassette case by lading a tape cassette into a prescribed cassette loading part 22 and light transmitting parts 29, 31a for transmitting light directed from the element 39 into the elements 40, 40' are formed in the spindle 24, reel boards 26, 27 and the tape reels 8, 9. Thereby, the distance between the element 39 and the elements 40, 40' can be remarkably shortened, and since either one of the elements 39, 40, 40' is arranged in the supporting spindle, the influence of disturbance light can be reduced. Consequently, the detection of tape end can be improved.