Correction: Alabama is in the 11th Circuit, not the 5th Circuit.

Alabama Attorney General Troy King sued the Interior Department on Tuesday to block Class III gaming for the Poarch Band of Creek Indians.

Alabama refuses to negotiate a compact so the tribe approached Interior for approval to offer certain Class III games. King, however, says the department lacks the authority to authorize the games without state approval.

"The Department of the Interior's recent actions represent a complete disregard for fundamental principles of states' rights and an arrogant lack of respect for the people of Alabama," King said in a statement. "Federal bureaucrats simply lack the authority to override the will of the people of Alabama by allowing casino gambling to invade our state."

The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals recently blocked Interior from approving certain Class III games for the Kickapoo Tribe. The decision invalidated the provisions of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act that allow the department to take over when a state refuses to negotiate.

The Kickapoo Tribe is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to review the case. Alabama is covered by the 5th 11th Circuit.

Get the Story:
State wants to stop gaming (The Mobille Press-Register 4/9)
Alabama AG sues Interior Department over Indian gambling (AP 4/8)