no, you could still play for free and enjoy it, thus the game will continue to be great.
but even as it is now, you can't cheat or hack and still expect to play for free ... or to play at all. banning such users is an attempt to keep the game great. if the paying idea were to encourage someone to cheat, and they kept doing it enough, they'd get perm-banned with no payoff possibility.
thus the game stays great.
e.g. the legit ones get to experience "play for free and enjoy it". the hax0rs get to experience the wrath of jitspoe. so as long as you're legit, you've got nothing to worry about.
EDIT: exactly, wade. and ya gotta have rules.
edit again: cobo, i'm thinking you meant "...game is free it doesn't mean..."