A federal judge on July 8th said the U.S. courts lack the power to stop the Seminole Tribe from offering blackjack, baccarat and other card games at the Seminole Hard Rock Casino in Hollywood, ruling that the tribe is immune from civil lawsuits;.

The ruling came in response to a request by The Isle Casino, one of three-state regulated racinos in Broward County that compete with the Hard Rock for slots players, for a preliminary injunction to halt blackjack and other card games that the Hardrock began offering on June 22nd.

The Isle sued Gov. Charlie Crist and the U.S. Interior Department, contending a state Supreme Court decision two weeks ago invalidating the gambling agreement Crist struck with the tribe -- which the Interior Department ratified -- meant Crist and the Interior Department should now halt the games.

But U.S. District Judge Stephan P. Mickle ruled that Crist's only remaining role is to monitor the gambling to ensure the Seminoles stick to the agreement, and the Interior Department has no further role having ''discharged'' its duties by allowing the compact to take effect.

Mickle said the Seminoles would have to be included in any lawsuit because any would directly affect the tribe and its 3,200 members. But that's the problem, the judge said, because a tribe is a sovereign state and cannot be sued in any court in the country.

"Although there is no alternative forum for [The Isle] to litigate its claim, in equity and good conscience this case cannot proceed without the Seminole Tribe," Mickle wrote in his ruling.

So despite the state Supreme Court ruling, the Seminoles continue to offer blackjack, baccarat and the other games at the Seminole Hard Rock in Hollywood. And tribe attorney Barry Richard said unless the federal government reverses its approval, the tribe doesn't plan to stop.