BIRMINGHAM — The Minnesota Supreme Court agreed on July 3, 2026, to hear a case determining whether private pools listed on the Swimply platform must be classified as public facilities subject to government licensing and inspections. This decision follows a lower court ruling earlier in 2026 that stated Swimply pools should be subject to government regulations.

Swimply has facilitated approximately 275,000 private pool reservations year-to-date in 2026, marking an increase of about 50% compared to the previous year. Bunim Laskin, the founder and CEO of Swimply, started the company in 2019. Laskin said, "We really became big for the first time during the pandemic." He added that "Travel was impossible, and people more than ever needed a way to supplement their income." Swimply currently lists pools in 150 cities.

Lindsey Cameron, an assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business, discussed the challenges presented by these types of services. Cameron stated, "Because there is not an employer, as one typically thinks of, that you can say, 'You have responsibility for the products that you are putting out into the world.'" Saša Pekeč, a professor of business administration at Duke University's Fuqua School of Business, commented on potential community responses, saying that "Some local communities might just say that 'No, you cannot rent your pool because there's too much liability.'"

Why It Matters

The Minnesota Supreme Court's agreement to hear this case could impact the classification and regulation of services like Swimply. A ruling that designates private pools rented through such platforms as public facilities would subject them to licensing and inspection requirements, potentially increasing operational costs for owners and affecting the availability of such rentals. This case involves legal challenges regarding how established regulations apply to businesses operating within the sharing economy, where private assets are made available for public use.