As for btc-e, I find it incredible that they have managed to get away without doing AML/KYC checks in this kind of regulatory climate. They only way that I can explain it is that there is something shady going on there.
They won't bother you with AML/KYC if you use one of the payment systems (middlemen), afaik they'll only ask for it if you want to make direct wire transfers.
but you have to do AML/KYC procedures at the payment systems (OKPay, Perfectmoney)...
in the online gambling world several gaming providers do it very similar to BTC-E and don´t ask you for documents if you
deposit using one of these payment services (they rely on OkPay, Perfectmoney, Skrill, Neteller to comply
with money laundering guidelines).
Therefore I don´t think the BTC-E way of doing things is as weird as some of you seem to think.