Sports bettors in the state of Illinois may have access to mobile sports wagering much sooner than expected, thanks to an Executive Order issued by Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Thursday.

Pritzker, who legalized sports betting in the Land of Lincoln nearly a year ago when he signed a $12 billion capital bill into law, signed Executive Order 2020-41. It recognizes that “Illinois residents may not be able to appear in-person at a casino” since there have been no definitive social distancing guidelines established to re-open the casinos due to the COVID-19 pandemic and “will reopen only when safe to do so pursuant to the Restore Illinois plan.”

The relevant part of the Executive Order, Section I, reads:

“During the duration of the Gubernatorial Disaster Proclamations, the provisions in the Sports Wagering Act, 230 ILCS, 45/25-30 (f), 25-35 (f), and 25-40 (i), requiring in-person creation of a sports wagering account at a facility authorized pursuant to the Act in order to participate in sports wagering offered over the internet or through a mobile application, are suspended.”

The original bill required bettors to register in-person to open a mobile account, though none have yet to be licensed to go live online by the Illinois Gaming Board. Only two casinos, Rivers Casino in Des Plaines and the Argosy in Alton, are provisionally approved to accept wagers, and both were open less than a week in March before being shuttered due to the pandemic.

Five other casinos — Casino Queen, Grand Victoria Casino, Par-A-Dice Hotel Casino and the Hollywood Casinos in Joliet and Aurora — all have temporary operating permits but not approval to accept wagers ahead of the next scheduled Illinois Gaming Board meeting June 11.

This article will be updated.