Looks like gitlab now requires account verification for new accounts in addition to email. Either phone number or credit card.

This applies both to accounts created with a working email or by logging in using your github account. You can’t even verify your email until you go through step 1.

I don’t know when this started, but at least for the last month or two judging from these posts in the forums.

Fun fact: I don’t even want to host on gitlab, I just wanted to report bugs in some projects. So I’m locked out.