Q: Can't gift an app I just purchased.

I bought an app (game) that I like and it shows purchased under my iTunes account when I'm at the game's page. It now will not allow me to purchase again as a gift. It gives me an error that you can't gift a free item but the game isn't free. I intend to pay for the gifted game but iTunes doesn't seem to respond that this is a new transaction and not me trying to re-download the original purchase.