
- BGG rank
- BGG #22,497
- BGG rating
- 6.0
Monopoly: The Nightmare Before Christmas
- 2–6 players
- 90 min
- Complexity 1.8/5
- 2009

1983
Rules assistance for Gay Monopoly
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Gay Monopoly is a board game released in 1983 for 2–6 players, 180 minutes per game, and ages 18 and up. It was designed by LaDera deMure and Toluca deMure and its main mechanics are Set Collection, Player Elimination, and Trading.
"Gay Monopoly - A celebration of gay life." Tongue in cheek version of the classic Monopoly. Player tokens are altered - now you can choose from a jeep, teddy bear, blow drier, leather cap, handcuffs or a stiletto heel. Properties have been changed to a 'gay' theme as well - e.g. Fire Island and Castro Street. Instead of buying houses and hotels, you can buy bars and bathhouses. The money denominations include $3.00 bills. One departure from the original Monopoly is the inclusion of Family Pride cards. When landing on the appropriate space, the description of a famous gay man is read aloud, and the player who can correctly identify the person can move ahead to any space on the board. Also different is the addition of Camp Cards. When these are drawn, you must perform the indicated action (ie. 'say: 'faaabulous!' six different ways and receive $3). Finally, there are "hanky code" cards, where the player must identify what each color of the code meant, and what it meant when worn in each (left and right) rear pants pocket. Rumor has it that there were only a very limited number of copies of this game, as it was produced by The Parker Sisters, a division of Fire Island games, and were sued for copyright infringement by Parker Brothers (the company is no longer in business).
Gay Monopoly supports 2–6 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Gay Monopoly is 180 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Gay Monopoly for ages 18 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Gay Monopoly has a complexity rating of 2.7 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Gay Monopoly belongs to these categories: Economic and Negotiation. Its main mechanics are Set Collection, Player Elimination, and Trading. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Gay Monopoly are: LaDera deMure and Toluca deMure. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Gay Monopoly as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.