I would guess it's because the same account could be used to distribute paid apps. So incompetence in the fact that they don't have two users types, or just an

I would guess it's because the same account could be used to distribute paid apps. So incompetence in the fact that they don't have two users types, or just an unwillingness to deal with any of those complexities? Or they want people spending money on apps so they are making it a bit harder to make just free ones? All speculation though. I imagine it's just simpler for them to have one type of account, and giving them your info is the only way to have it, regardless of what you do with it.