The Catawba Nation of South Carolina goes to court on Wednesday to argue for its right to offer video poker on the reservation.

The tribe falls under a special act of Congress that settled its land claim. A lower court ruled that the 1993 law secures the tribe's right to operate video poker even though the game has been outlawed in the rest of the state.

The state appealed and the case is before the state Supreme Court. "This is no different than everything that's happened to the tribe since the Europeans showed up," the tribe's attorney was quoted as saying. "The goal has been to take what you can from the Indians and lie about it. That's exactly what is going on here."

The tribe wants to use the case to secure approval of a high-stakes bingo hall off the reservation.

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Court to hear Catawba gaming case (The Rock Hill Herald 1/13)