You need a "real" email address to sign up. Gmail is not the only one allowed. Many many spammers use the easy to get, disposable email addresses like those you can get at yahoo and hotmail. Gmail accounts aren't quite so disposable, and haven't been badly abused yet, so that's one free email address you can get and use. Plus you generally get an email address through your isp (and if it's not your account but your parents', they often give out like five or so free, so you're covered). As long as you're not coming here to cause trouble, the requirement to use a "real" email address won't bother you too much. If you're coming to scam and want to be able to keep signing up with new accounts as soon as you're banned, we're going to make it hard on you.