No license shall be issued by the director for the operation of any of the enterprises specified in section 4-8 until proper application therefor has been made to the director in such form as he shall designate, and a copy of the application has been published in some newspaper of general circulation within the county at least two (2) weeks prior to the issuance of such license, which publication shall be at the expense of the applicant seeking such license. Such publication shall not be required for the issuance of any such license for any enterprise that has been in continuous operation at the same location for three (3) years immediately preceding the application for the license. (Mont. Co. Code 1965, § 75-6.)