Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn has stated that now that the U.S. Department of Justice has stated its legal support of state-regulated online gambling, he hopes to make Illinois lottery tickets available to purchase online sometime in the first quarter of 2012.

Illinois Lottery superintendent Michael Jones said that he too hopes to begin selling the tickets online sometime in the next three to four months.

Lottery officials are said to have already begun meetings to design the secure website the tickets would be available on.

Gov. Quinn has stated that he believes the online availability will increase lottery ticket sales overall.