The Illinois Lottery says it will continue to sell tickets online, despite its legal authorization to conduct online sales having expired last month.

Illinois became the first US state lottery to offer online sales of draw tickets in 2012 after state pols approved a four-year pilot program. That program expired on March 25 and a budget squabble between the governor and state Democrats meant legislation that would have extended the program didn’t get done on time.

Last Friday, the Lottery issued a statement saying it “will continue to operate online.” Communications director Steve Rossi said the Lottery had conducted “a detailed review of the relevant policies, rules and laws” at the request of Rep. Ed Sullivan Jr., the sponsor of the pilot program extension bill, and that this review had concluded that “continued internet ticket sales are permissible by law.”

At present, only Illinois, Georgia and Michigan are offering some form of online lottery in the US. The Minnesota Lottery had blazed the trail for online scratch ticket sales, but angry Minnesota legislators shut down all online lottery activity last fall based on their belief that Lottery officials had exceeded their authority.