The Seminole Tribe of Florida is asking a federal judge to let it keep blackjack at its casinos across the state.
Florida and the tribe signed a deal in 2010 but the provision that allows blackjack and other banked card games expired earlier this year. The tribe is supposed to remove its blackjack tables by the end of this week.
But on Monday the tribe filed a federal lawsuit against the state.
The lawsuit asserts Seminole casinos can keep the games in place because Florida regulators violated the compact with the tribe by allowing South Florida race tracks to offer electronic versions of card games.
The tribe's chairman in a statement said "significant progress'' has been made between state officials and the Seminoles to extend the current deal. But Chairman James Billie said the lawsuit was filed to protect the tribe's interests.
