The Iowa Legislature has passed a bill that would shape the future of sports betting in the state for years to come.

There are a few steps left before sports betting enthusiasts who are at least 21 years old can wager on their favorite teams at any of Iowa’s 19 casinos, or online if they verify their age in person at a casino. 

Sports and gambling law attorney Daniel Wallach told USA TODAY Sports that new federal legislation could come well after many states have already started taking bets.

“At some point, if the legislation starts to diverge from state to state and, more importantly, the leagues don’t get what they want at the state level, I think you will see Congress jump into the fray and pass some kind of legislation to create more uniformity across the country,” Wallach said.

U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, D-N.J., proposed the Gaming Accountability and Modernization Enhancement (GAME) Act more than a year ago, but it hasn’t even been considered by a committee. Part of the GAME Act would mandate consumer protections, including a ban on underage betting, and establish safeguards against compulsive gambling.