This is true. Incredibly frustrating, but, Netflix is a media company that needs to make money. It's too bad what we want (the future of video media) doesn't today jive with the avenues available for Netflix to increase revenues.

The viewers are better off without watching House of Cards season 3 - the show deteriorated quite significantly by now.

Does House of Cards licensing have anything to do with the fact that it was originally a UK show?

Probably not. BBC made the UK series, GP says Sky licenced the US series.