Anyone know if there is a way to “gift” games in the app store?, so you can give out free copies.
Yes. You issue promo codes. See this link for information - https://developer.apple.com/library/ios/documentation/LanguagesUtilities/Conceptual/iTunesConnect_Guide/Chapters/ProvidingPromoCodes.html
Note that you get 100 codes per version. So every time you release an update, no matter how minor, you get another 100 promo codes. Thankfully, you can’t leave reviews if you got an app via a promo code. There’s enough junk reviews on the App Stores as it is.