Alabama Attorney General Troy King is suing the Department of Interior to keep it from allowing the Poarch Creek Indians to expand their gambling in Alabama.

The federal court suit, filed in Mobile on Monday, seeks to block the department from negotiating with the Indians to have new types of gambling.

The tribe currently operates electronic bingo games in Atmore, Wetumpka and Montgomery, but does not have slot machines and table games commonly found in casinos.

King said the Department of the Interior revealed March 4th that it intends to resume informal talks with the Indians despite opposition from Alabama state officials.

An Interior Department spokeswoman said agency officials do not comment on pending litigation.

An attorney for the Poarch Creek tribe was unavailable for comment.

Federal law allows federally recognized Indian tribes to conduct any type of gambling that is legal in a state, which in Alabama includes paper and electronic bingo.

But no Alabama governor has agreed to a compact that would allow the Poarch Creek tribe to expand gambling to casino-style games.

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