Washington D.C. council member Jack Evans introduced a bill that would legalize sports betting in the U.S. capital, the Washington Post reported.

Evans said at a council breakfast that the federal district had to act quickly in order to get a foothold on the industry, which had been banned in most parts of the country until the Supreme Court lifted the ban last May.

“We can be first and get a lot of money or 51st and not get any,” Evans said. According to the Washington Post, the nearest place for people in the district to bet on games was over an hour away, in West Virginia. Neighboring states Maryland and Virginia have not legalized sports betting, although Maryland does have casinos.

The bill would amend the existing law that allows lotteries, daily number games, and bingo and raffles for charitable purposes. To these, “sports wagering” will be listed.