Roku--why do they need your email address and code word?

A couple pf years ago i had a roku device for getting into the menu of the cable companies on HDM2. I think i paid $40 for it. It would show you sites kike Netflix but you couldn't order the newest movie without paying. But it still had plenty of free movie sites. Then i lost the device and went to buy a new one lately for only $20 but this time they wanted my email and code word. I thought why? I thought Roku is free? Or are they going to send me lots of messages? I liked them better when you just bought the device nd used it.